After 2 deaths, vaccine samples sent for probe

Mumbai: Following two deaths in Nagpur after the measles-rubella (MR) vaccination, allegedly due to the adverse effects of the vaccine, the samples of vaccines used at concern places have been taken and sent to the laboratory for further investigation on Food and Drug Administration (FDA) direction.

The FDA has written to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for further investigation, said the officials.

Both the deaths were reported in last month. A one-year-old girl died after being administered with measles and rubella (MR) vaccine at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Nagpur.

The deceased was identified as Astha Godange who was vaccinated at Tumsar tehsil’s Garra village on December 15.

Following the vaccination, her condition deteriorated and she was rushed to the general hospital at Bhandara. Later, she was referred to GMCH in Nagpur, where she died on December 18.

Similarly, in another incident in Nagpur on December 7, an 11-year-old girl, Aradhya Waghaye, who is a resident of Lakhni tehsil of Bhandara died allegedly following complications developed after MR vaccination.

However, the diagnosis revealed the causes of death as gastroenteritis in Waghaye and cardiac arrest in Godange, said the officials.

Assistant commissioner of FDA (Drug), S.B. Patil, said, “With these cases, we have written to the CDSCO and we will conduct a joint investigation with them. Further action will depend on the investigation findings and probe. The samples of the vaccines from both the batches have been sent to the laboratory and we are waiting for the reports”

Mr Patil further added that, action has been taken after the two deaths were reported in Nagpur.

“We have ordered to cease the use of the suspect batches of the vaccination, said Mr Patil.