Contaminated Rotavirus Vaccines

On Friday, the FDA convened a panel of experts to review recent findings that the two rotavirus vaccines Rotateq(Merck Pharmaceuticals) and Rotarix (GlaxoSmithKline), are contaminated with DNA from pig viruses, called  PCV1 and PCV2. Due to this contamination the use of Rotarix was suspended on March 22nd. Upon additional testing, Rotateq was also found to be contaminated.

The experts at the meeting acknowledged that the PCV2 virus is known to cause a wasting disease in pigs, which is similar in type to the AIDS virus in humans. Although the longterm risks of PCV1 and PCV2 in humans is not known,  the advisory panel decided that `that the vaccine is safe and did not recall the vaccine.