December 12, 2007

TORONTO – Ontario’s Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams confirmed today that none of the three lots of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine suspended from use by Health Canada have been received or distributed through Ontario’s publicly funded immunization program.

Merck Frost has advised the ministry that a small quantity of the vaccine was distributed outside of the publicly funded system in Ontario to army bases and some hospitals. Merck is currently notifying those recipients. There have been no reported adverse reactions to the ministry related to MMR vaccine from the three suspended lots.

“We continue to keep public health units across Ontario advised of the situation,” said Williams. “Our public health units will follow up as appropriate and the Public Health Agency of Canada is being kept apprised of the situation.”

Health Canada has advised provincial and territorial health authorities not to use three lots of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine while the department investigates five suspected cases of anaphylaxis in Alberta clients receiving the product.

Ontario is a leader in North America in protecting children against vaccine-preventable diseases. The MMR vaccine is currently administered to children at 12 months and again at 18 months and has proven to be safe. Canada has a national surveillance system that monitors reports of any adverse events following an immunization. All reports are taken seriously and investigated appropriately.

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