A new vaccine offered to millions of pensioners and pregnant women could trigger a serious neurological condition, officials have warned.
The alert, issued by US health chiefs, concerns a jab that protects against respiratory syncytial virus (or RSV), which was rolled out to vulnerable people in Britain for the first time last year.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said results of an American study suggested two types of RSV jab carry a significant increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome — a disabling condition that causes damage to nerves — 42 days after vaccination.
While still recommending the jabs for eligible adults, the FDA officials said Guillain-Barré syndrome would now be listed as a risk in leaflets given to patients.
In the UK, the condition is already noted as a potential complication in patient information, however not all of those who receive the jab will be warned verbally of the risks.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a bug that causes coughs and colds in most people, but can be potentially deadly for the elderly as well as young babies.
RSV, which is spread by coughs and sneezes, hospitalises about 30,000 children and 18,000 adults in the UK every year, due to serious breathing complications like pneumonia.
Around 100 children die from the virus each winter. It’s also estimated to contribute to the deaths of 8,000 adults over the same period due to the increased strain the infection puts on patient’s hearts, causing the organ to fail.
Hellbound and Down 