Lyme Disease Vaccine Associated With Arthritis?
May 21, 2001
The pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline has received many complaints regarding its Lyme disease vaccine Lymerix. Many patients who have taken the vaccine claim that they were not made aware of possible side effects, including rare cases of arthritis.
Lymerix was introduced in 1998 and is the only vaccine of its kind. Lyme disease, which occurs mostly in the Northeast, is transmitted primarily through deer tick bites. Lyme disease can cause fatigue, fevers, joint pain and other debilitating conditions. If not treated with antibiotics, Lyme disease can progress, causing serious heart and nervous system problems.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, there is no definitive evidence linking the vaccine and the complained of side effects. However, the FDA is examining GlaxoSmithKline's clinical study records, and a spokesperson for the agency expressed frustration that GlaxoSmithKline has not conducted a more thorough investigation.
The company claims that Lymerix is safe, despite the over 1,000 complaints lodged with the FDA. While many of the complaints involved minor side effects, there have been at least 130 reports of severe arthritis-like symptoms. Some healthcare professionals worry that the vaccine may trigger an autoimmune reaction causing the body to attack its own tissue.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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