Why the meningococcal B vaccine is missing in pharmacies and other questions about this disease
The meningococcal B vaccine can be in pharmacies since last October 2015. However, the high demand has made the reserves run out and now it is not easy to find it. In this situation, the Group of Vaccines of the Spanish Society of Pediatrics in Primary Care (Sepeap) have made an appeal to tranquility: the vaccine will reach pharmacies and there is no reason to be alert.
What is meningococcal
Meningococcal disease is a pathology caused by a bacterium known as meningococcus. There are 13 identified serogroups of this bacterium, six of which cause the majority of cases of meningococcal disease: A, C, X, Y, W135 and B.
Invasive disease due to meningococcus B is responsible for 82 percent of cases of meningitis. It is a pathology that at the present time is not very frequent in our country. Of course, pediatricians say it is very serious, with high mortality and devastating side effects, "so the appearance of the vaccine against this microorganism is an essential breakthrough," they say.
In this sense, they explain that, in general, infants and adolescents are the age groups where the greatest number of cases can occur. In fact, in our country most of the pathologies occur in infants and young children.
The first symptoms of meningococcal disease are similar to those of influenza or other common viral diseases: fever, irritability, acute rhinitis, headaches, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. The difficulty in diagnosis and the rapid progression of the disease (can lead to death in less than 24 hours from the onset of the first symptoms), leave the doctor very little time to act for treatment.
Is the vaccine safe?
The meningococcal B vaccine is safe. It has been confirmed by the administration of more than half a million doses worldwide. "It can only generate some fever and local discomfort at the point of injection, all temporary and self-limited," clarify the experts on vaccines society, explaining that this is more frequent in infants and when the vaccine is co-administered with the rest of vaccines corresponding to age.
"This security is supported by the very fact that the English Public Health England has initiated a systemic vaccination for all those born after July 1, 2015," they insist.
Why is the Meningococcal B vaccine missing?
The vaccine against meningococcus B, registered by the pharmaceutical company GSK under the name of 'Bexsero', was classified in 2014 as a medicine for hospital use in Spain. After the presentation to the Spanish Agency of Medicine (AEMPS) of new quality and safety data accumulated after the distribution of more than 1,200,000 doses of the vaccine worldwide, and the analysis thereof, the AEMPS opted for mid of 2015 for changing its classification of Hospital Use medication to unrestricted prescription medication, that is, the vaccine can be sold in pharmacies.
The arrival in pharmacies of this vaccine "did not have the necessary forecast" by the pharmaceutical laboratory that produces it. Thus, as reported by pediatricians, GSK "saw its offer exceeded by the high demand for vaccines", which caused that in a few weeks there were no stocks. "Situation that is expected to be resolved in the spring of 2016".
If there are no vaccines, are there any reasons for alarm?
The Sepeap is blunt about the generated alarm: there are no reasons for it. For this reason they have sent a message of tranquility "since we are in a low epidemiological cycle, not in an epidemic situation". In fact, they say that the "huge demand" for the vaccine "does not correspond to a significant increase in cases in our country, which remain, although dramatic, sporadic."
"It is necessary to transmit this peace of mind to the parents, waiting for the pharmaceutical company to manufacture sufficient doses to meet the demand of users," the experts insist.
For those who are uneasy because they started the vaccination but have not been able to complete it due to lack of dose, "they should know that it will not be necessary to restart the vaccination again." "Although the protection of an incomplete pattern is not the same as once they have completed it, it is greater than that of a subject who has not received any dose."
To conclude, pediatricians have insisted that it is not recommended at all "the pilgrimage to other countries or the search for vaccine doses by any route other than the regulatory pharmaceutical channel."
Angela R. Bonachera
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