Letter

DTP in low income countries: improved child survival or survival bias?

BMJ 2005; 330 doi: 10.1136/bmj.330.7495.845-a (Published 7 April 2005)
Cite this as: BMJ 2005;330:845.2

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  1. Henrik Jensen, statistician (HJN@ssi.dk),
  2. Christine S Benn, senior researcher,
  3. Peter Aaby, professor
  1. Bandim Health Project, Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, Statens Serum Institut, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark

    EDITOR—We proposed that BCG and measles vaccine have non-specific beneficial effects, whereas diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccination might have no beneficial effect.1 In response, the World Health Organization commissioned several studies.2–4 A WHO expert task force found substantial evidence against a deleterious effect of DTP; all studies showed DTP to be associated with reduced mortality. A negative DTP effect was found only in Guinea-Bissau, and this was presumed to be due to a country specific issue or a peculiarity of the data.5

    In our survival analysis, vaccination status was a …

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