Like Its Predecessor RotaShield, Offit's Rotateq May Be Linked To Intussusception

Potential conflicts of interest: Ginger Taylor is the mother of a child with vaccine induced autism who has gotten to the point where she cringes at hearing the name Paul Offit because of his ridiculously irresponsible overstatements of vaccine safety on media outlet after media outlet while always failing to disclose his conflict of interest that he is a vaccine patent holder on Merck's RotaTeq vaccine. (Did you know that babies can theoretically handle 100,000 vaccines in one sitting? It's true! Paul Offit says so!)

If there is such thing as a science grudge match, this qualifies, as I can't imagine that the authors of this study feel any differently about Offit than I do.

However, let's let the article speak for itself. It finds that like the last rota virus vaccine to be removed from the market, Offit's vaccine may be causing Intussusception, a nasty, life threatening disorder where the intestine actually turns inside out and starts folding in on itself like a a telescope collapses.

Rota Teq is on the CDC's vaccine schedule.

If this bears out, let's hope it is yanked even more quickly than RotaShield was.

RotaTeq vaccine adverse events and policy considerations

David A. Geier, Paul G. King, Lisa K. Sykes, Mark R. Geier

The Institute of Chronic Illnesses, Inc., CoMeD, Inc., The Genetic Centers of America,

Potential conflicts of interest: David A. Geier has been a consultant in vaccine/biologic cases before the no-fault National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) and in civil litigation. Mark R. Geier has been a consultant and expert witness in vaccine/biologic cases before the no-fault NVICP and in civil litigation. Paul G. King and Lisa K. Sykes have no conflicts of interest.

Background: Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in children <5 years-old worldwide. On February 3, 2006, the US Food and Drug Administration licensed RotaTeq™ (Merck and Co.), a bioengineered combination of five human-bovine hybridized reassortment rotaviruses. In August of 2006, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended RotaTeq for routine vaccination of US infants administered orally at the ages 2, 4, and 6 months. Material/Methods: An evaluation of data reported to VAERS following the fi rst fi ve quarters of post-marketing surveillance of RotaTeq was undertaken. Trends in adverse events reported following RotaTeq and cost effectiveness calculations of RotaTeq in the context of the disease burden of rotavirus in the US were examined. Results: From February 3, 2006 through July 31, 2007, a total of 160 (of the 165 reported) intussusception and 11 (of the 16 reported) Kawasaki disease adverse event reports were identifi ed when RotaTeq was administered or co-administered with other vaccines. Time-trend analyses showed that there were signifi cant increases in the total number of intussusception and Kawasaki disease adverse events entered into VAERS in comparison to previous years. Conclusions: These observations, coupled with limited rotavirus disease burden, cost-effectiveness, and potential contact viral transmission concerns, raise serious questions regarding the use of RotaTeq in the US. Healthcare providers should diligently report adverse events following RotaTeq vaccination to VAERS, and those who have experienced a vaccine-associated adverse event should be made aware that they may be eligible for compensation from the no-fault National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP). key words: gastroenteritis • gastrointestinal hemorrhage • rotavirus infection • vaccine adverse event reporting system