Al-Madinah Academy

Please note that from what I've seen there is no issue with the vaccine (i.e. as far as ingredients go). However, there may be other factors (medically) that I'm unaware of and would make taking the vaccine a high risk. Therefore, what I can say is that as far as the issue of ingredients are concerned, we do not see any reason to say that it is haraam to take the vaccine. And Allaah knows best.

 

Assalaamu alaykum,
 
I have all the answers you could ever want or need when it comes to H1N1.
 
1.    The way the vaccine is made is that they isolate the strains from human sources, refine it, culture it out and purify it even more such that the product that is sent to the manufacturers is pure virus, no relation to pork or the swine version that originated the outbreak. The Virus is then grown on Chicken eggs (Which is why those with chicken allergies cannot get the vaccine). In Canada, the virus that has been grown is split open and separate from its live parts (the DNA/RNA components). It is the outside shell of the virus, the part the body uses to make antibodies, that is placed in the vaccine.
 
2.    The product used in the US is not the same product that is used in Canada. In Canada, all flu vaccines are manufactured from one source Glaxo-Smith-Kline. The Vaccine used in the US for spraying up the nose is a live virus; as such it needs to be kept in a medium. The company uses gelatin as this stabilizer for delivery in this method. Here in Canada, the only delivery method is via injection. As such, a stabilizer such as gelatin is not needed. Here is the website with the product info for the vaccine used in Canada, http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/prodpharma/legislation/interimorders-arretesurgence/prodinfo-vaccin-eng.php
 
3.    The Vaccine that the government is buying from Australia meets the same manufacturing standards as we have in Canada, no pork or pork by-products, is what I have been told. We will not be getting any vaccine from the US or Europe, as they are in short supplies. I also would not recommend crossing the border to get the vaccine because of the testing and licensing is not the same as in Canada, and as you have found out, there is Pork products used in their production. 
 
I specifically asked about pork and the vaccine to my colleagues across Canada and in the public Health agencies. I was assured by all including Dr. Fyfe that there are no pork products involved at all. I was also pointed to this web article from Ottawa department of health  where this was addressed. http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/health/conditions/id_prevention/preventing_germs/vaccine_safety_en.html#P57_5387
 
Cathy Munford 
Infection Prevention and Control 
Victoria General Hospital 
1 Hospital Way 
Victoria, BC 
V8Z 6R5 
(250)727-4021 
fax (250)727-4003