Figures for Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales. A copy of the circular can be found in the Library. The safety of all new medicines, including vaccines, is continuously monitored by the Medicines Control Agency. Advice is sought from the independent expert advisory committees, the Committee on Safety of Medicines and Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, when appropriate.
Product information is updated as necessary.
In October 1999 a letter from the Chief Medical Officer advised doctors and pharmacists to report all suspected adverse reactions to the new meningococcal C vaccine to the Medicines Control Agency via the yellow card scheme. In December 1999, following the Committee on Safety of Medicines' advice, nurses were also invited to report suspected adverse reactions to this vaccine via the yellow card scheme. The Medicines Control Agency continuously monitors the safety of all medicines including Meningitis C vaccine. Various data sources are used including spontaneous reports of suspected reactions from health professionals, clinical trials, epidemiological studies and regular safety update reports from manufacturers. This post-licensing monitoring follows the detailed safety and efficacy trials of meningococcal C vaccine undertaken before the vaccine was licensed.