24/07/2013

UK 'Should Not Adopt' Meningitis B Vaccine

A government immunisation advisory body has not recommended the UK introduce a vaccine for a deadly form of meningitis.

Despite meningitis charities campaigning for the introduction of the only known vaccination for meningitis B, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said it should not be adopted by the NHS as it is "not cost-effective at any price".

Meningitis B is contracted by almost 2,000 people per year, killing one in ten. Children under five are most at risk from the infection, which causes inflammations of the brain and spinal cord.

It is understood that the vaccine, developed by Novartis, is believed to be the only one effective against meningitis B, combating 73% of the different strains of the disease.

(MH/CD)

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