ON JANUARY 2006, France became sole user of BCG vaccine Statens Serum Institut (SSI) for tuberculosis vaccination. Not long after, rapid increase in cases of adverse reactions (ADRs) came up; such as abscesses (in 73 percent of patients treated), around 30 percent had local reactions (lymphadenopathy of above one cm in size), while 20 patients developed suppurative lymphadenopathy. Christelle Chol, leader of those who followed the patients for two years, found that the ADRs became consistent a year after their appearance or detection. They published their findings at the Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety (Dec 5). BCG vaccine—or Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (named after its discoverers)—contains weakened but alive strain of Mycobacterium bovis (a strain found in pigs). Because the bacteria can still stimulate reaction from a person’s immune system (without causing disease), it prepares the body to combat and destroy tuberculosis bacteria upon exposure. Studies in 1994 to 1
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