BMJ  2006;333:563-564 (16 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.38971.485683.AB

Editorial

Size of the needle for infant vaccination

Longer needles reduce incidence of local reactions

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Vaccine safety is a contentious issue, and parental concern continues.¹ An online survey (Harris Poll) in 2004 showed that half of parents are concerned that a child might develop a long term medical condition as a result of vaccination, and 10% are "uncomfortable" having their child vaccinated owing to "health reasons."² These parental concerns may be fuelled by the increasing number of websites making serious allegations about vaccine safety.³

Independent bodies—for example, the US Institute of Medicine—have reviewed the evidence for several vaccines and have generally found them to be safe, albeit with rare risks such as anaphylaxis.⁴ However, local reactions to vaccines are common—ranging from 6% to 50%, depending on the vaccine, definition of local reaction, and dose number in a series—and this can contribute to the safety concerns expressed by parents. Local reactions can be reduced either by using less reactogenic vaccines, such as acellular pertussis vaccines, . . . [Full text of this article]

Department of Family Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 (zimmer@pitt.edu)

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Relevant Article

Effect of needle size on immunogenicity and reactogenicity of vaccines in infants: randomised controlled trial

Linda Diggle, Jonathan J Deeks, and Andrew J Pollard
BMJ 2006 333: 571. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• (2006). Immunization in Infants: Long Needle or Short Needle?. JWatch Pediatrics 2006: 3-3 [Full text]  
• (2006). Immunization in Infants: Long Needle or Short Needle?. JWatch General 2006: 5-5 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Maybe they make 'em big in Birmingham

K Parnell
bmj.com, 15 Sep 2006 [Full text]

How long is a piece of string?

John McCormack
bmj.com, 16 Sep 2006 [Full text]

Wrong Picture

Howard M Friend
bmj.com, 2 Oct 2006 [Full text]

Online poll

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