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Session
X
2004-05
Type
House
Session
Year
Department
Member
Primary member
Answering member
Legislative stage
Legislation
Subject
Publisher
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will remove (a) formaldehyde, (b) mercury, (c) foetal calf serum and (d) monkey kidney cells from UK childhood vaccines.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will remove (a) formaldehyde, (b) mercury, (c) foetal calf serum and (d) monkey kidney cells from UK childhood vaccines.
Asked by
Norman Baker
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Melanie Johnson
(Labour)
Answering body
Department of Health
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
18 January 2005
For answer on
10 February 2005
Answered on
10 February 2005
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will remove (a) formaldehyde, (b) mercury,
(c) foetal calf serum and (d) monkey kidney cells from UK childhood vaccines. [210276]
Miss Melanie Johnson: Formaldehyde is used as an inactivating agent to eliminate poliovirus infectivity. Also, it is used to
inactivate diphtheria and tetanus toxins. Gluteraldehyde, a closely related chemical, is used to inactivate acellular pertussis
toxins. The quantities present in the new vaccines are low, and less than 0.1 milligrams of formaldehyde and less than 0.02 mg
gluteraldehyde per 0.5 millilitre dose. Formaldehyde is present naturally in the human body at levels of about 2.5 micrograms per ml
of blood. For a two month old child, this is about 10 times as much as in the amount present in a single dose of vaccine. There is
no evidence that these quantities pose a risk to health and there are no plans to remove these substances from vaccines.
None of the current vaccines used in the childhood immunisation programme contain mercury. Thiomersal, which releases ethylmercury,
has played an important role either as a preservative or in the initial stages of the manufacture of some vaccines for over 60
years. Thiomersal was contained in the diphtheria, tetanus and whole cell pertussis (DTwP) and diphtheria and tetanus vaccines.
However, with the introduction of the new vaccine Pediacel on 27 September 2004, the routine childhood immunisation programme
no longer includes mercury-containing vaccines.
Foetal bovine serum is an essential growth supplement for the cells used for the propagation of live viruses. The bovine serums used
have demonstrated compliance with European Union regulations for minimising the risk of transmitting animal spongiform
encephalopathy agents via human and veterinary medicines. The serum is used solely in the early stage of the manufacturing process
of the vaccine and is reduced to trace amounts during purification and dilution steps.
The monkey kidney cell line used for the production of inactivated poliovirus in the new vaccines has been extensively examined for
contaminating viruses. The cell line meets the requirements of the World Health Organisation and European Pharmacopoeia. To exclude
the risk of extraneous viral contamination each production lot is examined for contaminating viruses during the production process.
The viral inactivation process has been fully validated. No monkey kidney cells are present in the final vaccine.
Subjects
Children; Animal products; Safety; Vaccination; Mercury; Formaldehyde
Date
10 February 2005
Reference
210276; 430 c1686-7W
House
House of Commons