How safe is Pentavalent? WHO knows

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government decision to vaccinate lakhs of children in the state with the pentavalent vaccine from November-end has snowballed into a controversy with concerns being raised from several quarters regarding the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. With the voices of concern getting louder and the state government constituting a committee to look into the safety issues, the Express, in an exclusive e-mail interview with WHO vaccine safety expert Dr Patrick Zuber, sought answers  on the various aspects of the pentavalent vaccine, its safety and efficacy.Dr  Patrick Zuber is the group leader on Global Vaccine Safety at the Department of Immunisations, Vaccines and Biologicals of the World Health Organisation.Q: Vaccines are given to healthy people and safety is most important. For an average man, how big is the risk that he is taking when he decides to vaccinate his child with the pentavalent vaccine and how big is the risk that he is taking when he decides against vaccinating his child with the pentavalent vaccine?A: The five diseases prevented by  pentavalent vaccine are all potentially fatal and are all responsible for thousands of cases every year in India. Serious reactions to the vaccine are extremely rare and, even when they occur, they generally evolve favourably.  The benefit of vaccine use, therefore, clearly outweighs any realistic risk.