United States: Federal drug safety officials have called for suspensions in the use of a vaccine developed to prevent people from contracting a mosquito-borne disease, chikungunya, for those over the age of 60, after reports of serious adverse events, as reported by USA Today.
The U.S. FDA reported that among the worldwide recipients of the vaccine Ixchiq, over 60 years old, 17 serious adverse events, including two that led to death, have been reported. However, six of the events took place in the United States, the FDA said in a safety communication on Monday, May 12.
Vaccine Safety Reports Under Investigation
Both domestic and international instances have been filed with the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System maintained by the FDA and the U.S Centers for Disease Control to warn of possible issues with vaccines. The reports were in individuals who had underlying chronic medical conditions, and the adverse events “may not be causally related to vaccination,” said the FDA.
