Alleged vaccine link to neurological disorders disputed.(Brief Article)

2002 JUN 19 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Use of the hepatitis B vaccine is not linked to the development of multiple sclerosis or other nerve diseases, the U.S. Institute of Medicine reported May 30, 2002.

The finding is the latest study rebutting fears the vaccine might somehow be tied to diseases affecting myelin, the protective coating surrounding nerve fibers.

While it found no connection between the vaccine and the diseases, the institute did urge continued observation of people who receive the vaccine.

The institute is an arm of the National Academy of Sciences, a private organization chartered by Congress to provide advice to the government on scientific matters.

The vaccine is recommended for all infants and many older people. A 1999 study showed that more than 90% of children age 19 months to 35 months had received the vaccine. An estimated 20 million Americans have gotten the shots, including health care workers.

Hepatitis B is a potentially deadly virus that can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. It is transmitted through blood, bodily fluids, shared needles and from mother to child.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1.25 million Americans have chronic hepatitis B, with 80,000 infected each year and between 4000 and 5000 dying from the effects of the disease.