Two Mexican Infants Die 29 Hospitalized With Vaccine Adverse Reaction
Below is a story that is a somber reminder of why we fight for vaccination choice. Vaccines carry serious risks. Regardless of the reason for this medical tragedy - if we ever know, was it tainted product, a deadly combination or something else, we believe parents should have the right to say no to a vaccine for their child. And that pharmaceutical companies should bear liability.
From CNN, although many media outlets are reporting the story. Our condolences to the families whose kids were injured or died.
(CNN) Mexican health officials are investigating after two babies died and 29 children were hospitalized from suspected adverse reactions to shots from the country's national vaccination program.
Six of the children hospitalized in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas remain in serious condition, the Mexican Social Security Institute said on Sunday.
The parents of the two infants who died were so outraged at the government that they refused to let authorities perform autopsies, CNNMexico reported.
The illnesses were reported after 52 children from the rural mining community of La Pimienta were given vaccines Friday for tuberculosis, rotavirus and Hepatitis B, the institute said. Later that night, 31 of the children "presented adverse reactions presumably associated with the application of these vaccines," officials said. Two of the children later died.
Authorities haven't said what they think caused the illnesses. They've pinpointed the batches the vaccines came from and have suspended administration of other vaccines from those batches pending the conclusion of their investigation, the institute said. They're also investigating the needles used in the vaccinations and the possibility that a virus or bacteria could have caused the illnesses, Mexico's El Universal newspaper reported.
Residents of La Pimienta told CNNMexico the vaccinations were offered Friday when officials came to the community and announced over loudspeakers that vaccines would be given to newborns.
In the poor, rural area, access to medical care is difficult to come by. There are no hospitals or clinics, only a small cinder block health center with a tin roof where residents go when a doctor passes through the community. A small selection of paracetamol and other pills sits on dusty shelves inside. Read more at CNN.
Let's calm down people...
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/mexico-bacteria-contaminated-vaccine-blamed-deaths-31023599
Posted by: cj_Aok | May 15, 2015 at 04:30 PM
Patricia
Presumably execs are only to be held account by their shareholders or perhaps by the government treasury - they can do what they like to the public.
Another point is that I do not see in principle why firms like Merck and GSK are allowed to remain trading.
Posted by: John Stone | May 13, 2015 at 10:14 AM
http://www.google.es/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chron.com%2Fjobs%2Fslideshow%2FFamous-CEOs-and-founders-who-ve-been-to-jail-71363.php&ei=nEpTVbHVKIqAU-ikgIgF&usg=AFQjCNHcmKpKVsWxPi1H5EwQdOhxGVncbg&sig2=aQZ1Qpfodbx4ulzau-mXtw&bvm=bv.93112503,d.ZGU
Well it's either tax, fraud or sex. But these guys were not indemnified by their governments of course. That is the real crime here.
Posted by: patricia | May 13, 2015 at 09:01 AM
Patricia
I am not a lawyer but when coporations are subject to criminal fines no individual is touched by this. I couldn't say what the legal position is either in the US or the UK. I suspect people are protected by their corporate status. Or is it just that the police use their discretion? I think it is probably the former.
Posted by: John Stone | May 13, 2015 at 08:33 AM
A brief article from the Guardian. Love the comments ,http://www.google.es/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCUQqQIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fsociety%2F2015%2Fmay%2F11%2Fmexico-suspends-infant-vaccines-after-two-babies-die-and-29-fall-ill&ei=e0JTVeexOcevU9-ggYgO&usg=AFQjCNEbnlMBEyL8EGoMO0bIKDtaKJCzpg&sig2=e-FantDDdDwsubXcEk-W3Al down!
Posted by: patricia | May 13, 2015 at 08:32 AM
PS @John
Is it the case that the CEO's of major corporations that have been jailed are those who have committed fraud, usually in publicly owned companies? And the Pharma heads are not rolling because of indemnity by the government? Can you clarify John?
Posted by: patricia | May 13, 2015 at 08:23 AM
Patricia
If people took criminal decisions at any point they should be prosecuted, whether or not they are still with the company, and if the company enacts a criminal policy then its erxecutive should be prosecutable too. Let's have financial liability and let's have criminal liability.
The present position of course is that conspiracy is legalised.
Posted by: John Stone | May 13, 2015 at 08:20 AM
In principle John I agree. Individuals should be made criminally liable. But...don't they usually sack those guys before it ever gets to court and even then, where is the evidence? Down the pan?
The only way forward as far as I can see is with brave men and women who become whistleblowers ..they are the movers within the corporations. Certainly legal reform must take place and allow CEO's and whoever to be criminally charged with liability. But I thought that already existed?
Why is Thompson having to 'wait to be subpoenaed?' What is behind this holdup, do we know?
Posted by: patricia | May 13, 2015 at 08:13 AM
Barry
Yes, I agree absolutely: you need to start making individuals criminally responsible within corporations. We know, for example, that Merk and GSK have been fined billions of dollars but was anyone even disciplined, did anyone even lose their bonus?
http://www.ageofautism.com/2014/07/an-article-for-independence-day-the-american-revolution-and-health-tyranny.html
Posted by: John Stone | May 13, 2015 at 07:54 AM
So is there nothing that can now touch them? What keeps these guys awake at night? Anything?
**********
Yes.
Right now, when people get angry, they get angry are the corporation. Which is essentially the equivalent of getting mad at an inanimate object. The corporation doesn't care, and the corporation can never be sent to prison. And all those big fines, assuming they're ever even paid, are pretty much meaningless.
It's time that people started asking who at the corporations, is responsible for doing things like this.
And I can guarantee you, some people will start sleeping a lot less.
Posted by: Barry | May 13, 2015 at 07:31 AM
I would like to know what really frightens the hell out of people like Merck and all the other Pharma corporations?
They will get out of this Mexican catastrophe without too much damage, they are so used to being fined it has become part of the game.
So is there nothing that can now touch them? What keeps these guys awake at night? Anything?
Posted by: patricia | May 13, 2015 at 05:35 AM
"...the vaccinations were offered Friday when officials came to the community and announced over loudspeakers that vaccines would be given to newborns.
*************
That's actually pretty creepy.
Posted by: Barry | May 12, 2015 at 10:09 PM
Why on earth do babies need s hep B at birth dose of mother is negative? Oh I know $
Posted by: Educator | May 12, 2015 at 07:41 PM
Kwd
I seen this link saying it was Merk..
"2 Infants Dead, 29 Injured in Mexico After Given Merck Vaccines"
http://www.occupycorporatism.com/home/2-infants-dead-29-injured-in-mexico-after-given-merck-vaccines/
Murdering Pharma Whores...they know who they are..
MMR RIP
Posted by: Angus Files | May 12, 2015 at 06:25 PM
Anyone see who the manufacturer was? Can't find it in any reports so far
Posted by: Kwd | May 12, 2015 at 04:57 PM
Now the Mexicans will learn, like the Americans before them, to spread the vaccine lots out geographically, to hide the clusters of the injured and killed, so that parents stand alone with their loss and grief and can more easily be further victimized by denial of the reality that they have lost their healthy children to vaccines.
Posted by: Linda1 | May 12, 2015 at 10:47 AM
"-----director general of the Mexican Social Security Institute visited the hospitalized children, vowing to support their families and to be transparent as they continued their investigation."
Transparency is a word they sling around when caught red handed.
As in the Gulf War Syndrome - we are going to have transparency --nope not going to be like it was before.
Like what before since we are going to be so transparent?
Oh it is a given - it was agent orange - but they don't say.
So is it a hot lot - well stupids - they have been warned not to give a whole community vaccines from the same lots just for this very reason.
But it is not all those vaccines - probably a virus or bacteria got on those alcohol swabbed needles.
Posted by: Benedetta | May 12, 2015 at 10:12 AM
"Residents of La Pimienta told CNNMexico the vaccinations were offered Friday when officials came to the community and announced over loudspeakers that vaccines would be given to newborns.
The illnesses were reported after 52 children from the rural mining community of La Pimienta were given vaccines Friday for tuberculosis, rotavirus and Hepatitis B, the institute said. Later that night, 31 of the children "presented adverse reactions presumably associated with the application of these vaccines," officials said. Two of the children later died."
How do these people sleep at night?
Posted by: Bob Moffitt | May 12, 2015 at 08:58 AM