RECALL OF JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS (IXIARO) BATCH JEV09L37
The manufacturers of the JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS (IXIARO) vaccine have recalled batch JEV09L37A. If you have been asked to check this site/message by MASTA (either by email, text or letter), you have received this particular batch at a MASTA/Boots travel clinic. The batch has been recalled because there is a concern that it may not give travellers maximum protection. Other batches have not been affected.
Just to reassure you there are no safety concerns with this vaccine batch, but if you have not yet travelled or are still at risk of Japanese encephalitis it is recommended that you are revaccinated to ensure you are adequately protected against the disease. The manufacturers assure us there are no known safety concerns about revaccinating someone who has recently been vaccinated.
If you have not yet travelled or will be travelling again to a risk area, please contact your nearest MASTA clinic to arrange revaccination free of charge. The clinics will be able to advise you further. If travelling at short notice an alternative Japanese encephalitis vaccine may be recommended.
You can find contact details for your nearest MASTA clinic on this website: http://www.masta-travel-health.com/clinic_searches/new
To arrange a refund for the affected vaccines you have received; please contact the clinic where you had the vaccines.
If you are already travelling and at continued risk of Japanese encephalitis you need to be aware that you may not have maximum protection and should take extra care with mosquito bite avoidance measures i.e. effective repellents on exposed skin, covering up and using impregnated mosquito nets. The mosquitoes that transmit Japanese encephalitis live mostly in rural areas and bite between dusk and dawn.
If possible you may wish to seek local advice regarding revaccination. The ISTM travel clinic directory maybe of assistance in locating a clinic www.istm.org.
Please note that Ixiaro is called JESPECT in Australia and is widely available there.
We are aware of the following clinics in Singapore and Hong Kong which can also administer Ixiaro:
Singapore:
Tan Tock Seng Hospital Travellers' Health and Vaccination Clinic http://www.ttsh.com.sg/travellershealth/
Tel: 6357 2222 Fax: 6352 5661 Email: thvc@ttsh.com.sg
Hong Kong:
Address: The Central Medical Practice Ltd 1501 Prince's Building Central Hong Kong Tel: +852 2521 2567
Elsewhere in Asia Ixiaro is unlikely to be available and a local alternative vaccine may be appropriate.
If you do seek revaccination overseas please send receipts to Fiona Davison, MASTA, Moorfield Road, Yeadon, Leeds, LS19 7BN along with name, address, date of birth and bank details and the costs will be reimbursed.
We are sorry for any inconvenience this will have caused you, this has obviously been a decision taken by the manufacturers of the vaccine and has been out of our hands. Our priority at the moment is to ensure travellers are adequately protected and are contacting all affected MASTA travellers to let them know.
Please continue to check this site as we will provide updates as we get further information.
Kind regards,
MASTA Medical Team