Assessment 4

Question 5

Is this statement true or false?

During a national immunisation programme against measles, if four deaths occur in children within one week of vaccination then the programme must be suspended, until further investigations have taken place.

Select one:

	True
	False

Answer

The correct answer is 'False'.

Before suspending a programme, it must be established that the deaths are genuinely related to the vaccination, and that the number of deaths is higher than expected.

Even if a causal relationship is established between the deaths and the vaccination, a risk benefit calculation should be made, to determine if the danger of death from the disease is greater than the risk of the vaccination. Once this is established, there is a rational basis for deciding whether to suspend the campaign or not.

Keep in mind that during a national campaign a very large number of persons will be vaccinated and some deaths may occur coincidentally in vaccinated individuals.

back