English: Pandemrix, 2009 flu pandemic vaccine produced by GlaxoSmithKline. Big ampulla with purple cap contains antigen solution. Small ampulla with yellow cap contains immunologic adjuvant AS03 in a emulsion. Deutsch: Pandemrix, Pandemie-Impstoff 2009 gegen die Neue Grippe von GlaxoSmithKline. Große Durchstechflasche mit violettem Deckel enthält die Antigenlösung. Kleine Durchstechflasche mit gelbem Deckel enthält das Adjuvanz AS03 in einer Emulsion. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pandemrix, 2009 flu pandemic vaccine produced by GlaxoSmithKline. Big ampulla with purple cap contains antigen solution. Small ampulla with yellow cap contains immunologic adjuvant AS03 in a emulsion. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

See the following article published by Narcolepsy UK at http://www.narcolepsy.org.uk

This might be something too important to let the Department of Health check; if your child developed narcolepsy after having Pandemrix please contact Narcolepsy UK with the vaccine batch number. We will collate a response and let you know the answer as soon as possible.

I am indebted to our friends from Sweden who passed on this story; as always I have double-checked the sources, this time with MPA, The Medical Products Agency in Sweden.

The Narcolepsy Association in Sweden has done exactly what we are asking you to do; contact us with the details of your child’s batch of Pandemrix. In the Swedish Newspaper Gothenburg Post they reported on the results; it explains that out of 220 Swedes (mainly children) affected by narcolepsy after having Pandemrix certain areas were more affected than others. In some parts of Sweden, namely in counties Skane, Dalarna and Uppland there are more children affected by narcolepsy than anywhere else in the country. This has concerned researchers for some time.

In Sweden the results of the check were most interesting; all those who developed narcolepsy after Pandemrix received the vaccine from one of 12 batches. None of the subjects vaccinated from 23 of the 35 batches reported narcolepsy; not one. The batches found to deliver the cases of narcolepsy (according to the article) were those delivered and used in the early stages of the vaccine campaign.

Previously Sweden’s Medical Product’s Agency – Lakemedelsverket – have suggested no link existed but in a report issued on July 23rd they are now saying that “We will have to think again,” said Maria Szirmai of the Swedish Medical Products Agency to the Gothenburg Post. While on the MPA website they stress that the batches used and delivered in Finland and Ireland were not from the same batches delivered to Sweden and that while interesting these figures will need checking and even then do not provide conclusive evidence of a link.

Sweden and Finland, while agreeing compensation with the families of children who developed narcolepsy after Pandemrix vaccination, still do not believe that Pandemrix has been proven to cause narcolepsy.

Ask your GP to check the batch number and contact Narcolepsy UK at info@narcolepsy.org.uk and place batch number in the subject line. If you are unable to email phone the charity on 0845 4500 394.

This could be very important for all those who have children affected by Narcolepsy after having Pandemrix.