Comprehensive and complementary surveillance strategies should be introduced to manage vaccine safety
Passive and active surveillance strategies should be implemented to effectively identify adverse effects following immunisation (AEFI), according to an article in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Dr Michael Gold, Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics at the University of Adelaide, and co-authors reviewed Australia’s response to AEFI such as febrile convulsions in children aged five years and under after the seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine was administered.
Dr Gold said that, in Australia, the current mechanism for identifying AEFI nationally is passive surveillance.
“Passive surveillance relies on health providers and the public recognising and reporting suspected AEFI to state or federal health authorities,” Dr Gold said.
“The inability of the existing surveillance systems to detect the early signal of an increased incidence of febrile convulsions, within 24 hours of receiving 2010 seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine, demonstrates that passive surveillance cannot be relied on as the sole means of surveillance.
“The way forward is to establish a coordinated, uniform approach to AEFI reporting, coding, collation and analysis.
“A standing vaccine safety monitoring group which includes key stakeholders – representing the regulators, state and national immunisation programs, and vaccine safety and epidemiology experts – needs to be urgently established.
“In the aftermath of the 2010 seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine experience, maintaining the public’s trust requires that we get started on building the fully functional, standard-of-care AEFI surveillance system that Australia deserves.
“Vaccine safety should be an integral component of the National Immunisation Strategy, which should include strategies for comprehensive and complementary passive and active systems of surveillance."
The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association.
The statements or opinions that are expressed in the MJA reflect the views of the authors and do not represent the official policy of the AMA unless that is so stated.
CONTACT: Dr Michael Gold O413 855 993