Polish Authorities Halt Hepatitis Vaccine Over Safety Concerns

The news in Polish

1. władza (f.)
   zespół ludzi sprawujący rząd w kraju lub regionie, lub jednostka terytorialna rządząca nimi. ↩︎
2. zdrowotny
   odnoszący się do zdrowia lub z nim związany. ↩︎
3. wstrzymać
   zatrzymać wykonywanie jakiegoś procesu lub działania na pewien czas. ↩︎
4. tymczasowy
   dziejący się na określony czas, przejściowo. ↩︎
5. zawiesić
   przestać działać na pewien czas. ↩︎
6. niewydolność (f.)
   stan, w którym jakiś organ nie działa prawidłowo. ↩︎
7. władza (f.)
   zespół ludzi sprawujący rząd w kraju lub regionie, lub jednostka terytorialna rządząca nimi. ↩︎

Translation

Text Comprehension

Question: Why did Polish health authorities stop the use of the Euvax B vaccine?

Question: What happened to the patient that led to the investigation?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
władza (f.)	authority
wstrzymać	suspend
tymczasowy	temporarily
zdrowotny	health-related
zawiesić	suspend
niewydolność (f.)	insufficiency

Read the full story

In a recent move, Polish health authorities have temporarily halted the distribution of a hepatitis B vaccine series following a serious adverse event. The decision to suspend the usage of the Euvax B vaccine from batch UFA 22507, which is valid until 31 October 2025, was enacted under the guidance of the Main Pharmaceutical Inspector (Główny Inspektor Farmaceutyczny).

The precautionary suspension comes in the wake of a distressing incident involving a patient who, shortly after receiving the third dose of the vaccine, experienced circulatory-respiratory failure and subsequently died. This patient suffered from chronic bronchial obstruction. The Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices, and Biocidal Products recommended the suspension to thoroughly investigate the potential link between the vaccine and the adverse reaction.

Despite the suspension, the Chief Sanitary Inspector (Główny Inspektor Sanitarny) reported to the Polish Press Agency that there was no clear evidence to suggest that the vaccine itself caused an undesirable vaccination reaction. Up until the vaccine series was suspended on 3 October, a total of 86,852 doses had been administered without any reported adverse effects.

The authorities face the challenge of balancing public safety with ensuring access to crucial vaccinations, as hepatitis B is a significant viral infection affecting the liver. This disease can be contracted through several routes, such as medical procedures, tattooing, and exposure to blood and bodily fluids. Symptoms vary and can include jaundice, persistent itching, and joint pains.

Moving forward, Polish health officials are prioritising the health and safety of patients while the investigations continue, aiming to restore confidence in vaccination safety and efficacy.

 

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