Vaccines for H1N1 need to be given by competent physician

Government cannot recommend giving H1N1 vaccine to pregnant women and it should be the doctor treating the woman who should take the call, a top virologist in Mumbai today said.

Government cannot recommend giving H1N1 vaccine to pregnant women and it should be the doctor treating the woman who should take the call, a top virologist in Mumbai on Sunday said.

HT Image

He also emphasised that all the vaccines and medications for the H1N1 infection should be taken under the supervision of a competent physician who knows the profile of the virus and the medication.

Government cannot give specific recommendation to give H1N1 vaccine to pregnant women in the absence of scientific data available and the doctor who is treating her has to take the decision after factoring in the risk perception, Dr AC Mishra, director, National Institute of Virology said at a seminar on `H1N1 -flu fears' at the Nair Hospital here.

"Pregnancy as such is a risk factor for any infectious disease and therefore, there is no additional risk with vaccines. But at the same time, the risk perception of the doctor and also that of the family has to be given weightage," he said.

Talking about quality of H1N1 vaccine, he said all the vaccines whether that of Indian make or from other countries, are well tested technologically. "Our vaccine is as good as any other vaccine from abroad, " he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Sanjay Oak, Dean of civic run KEM hospital said since July 2005 outbreak of leptospirosis, it was decided to include the same in the syllabus of medical students and posting the doctors to communicable disease institutions for part of their training.