Media release

17 June 2005

Major milestones for Meningococcal B Immunisation Programme

The Meningococcal B Immunisation Programme is celebrating three major milestones this week with the first half million children vaccinated, the first one million doses given and all District Health Boards now vaccinating.

Meningococcal B Immunisation Programme director Dr Jane O'Hallahan says these milestones represent an enormous effort by New Zealand's health professionals and the public.

The programme has been rolled out to DHBs beginning last July.

"It is a tremendous achievement to have already administered at least one dose to more than 500,000 children and young people, and have given more than one million doses of the MeNZB vaccine in total.

"We are delighted with this progress," Dr O'Hallahan says.

"Consent rates appear promising throughout the country with an average of about 90 percent of consent forms received back for the school programme agree to vaccination, so far.

"There is however a great deal of work to do to ensure all children and young people aged under 20 are offered the protection of this vaccine.

"Every person requires three doses about six weeks apart to develop protection against the epidemic strain of meningococcal disease in New Zealand.

"The Ministry supports informed consent and seeks to provide clear accurate information for people to make a decision about immunisation based on the best scientific and medical information available.

"As with any new programme that impacts directly on so many people, there has been some misinformation circulating.

"It would be most concerning if a parent made a decision based on inaccurate information," Dr O'Hallahan says.

"With the programme now under way nationally, it is a good time to clarify some of the misinformation and remind people where they can go for reliable information.

A half page open letter to all New Zealanders from the Director General of Health, Dr Karen Poutasi, is appearing in most of the major weekend newspapers explaining information about the programme.

"The letter is endorsed by more than 20 health and other professional organisations which is a clear sign that the people who know this disease and its effects support this programme.

"I would encourage people to read the letter, and take note about where they can get further information if they feel they want to know more about the programme, to help them make an informed decision. There is a lot of good information available from reputable sources already in the public domain," Dr O'Hallahan says.

Read the open letter to the people of NZ about the Meningococcal B Immunisation Programme

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Open letter to the people of NZ about the Meningococcal B Immunisation Programme

To the people of New Zealand

The recent media debate about the Meningococcal B Immunisation Programme requires the Ministry of Health to correct some of the misinformation that has circulated.


The Ministry of Health supports informed consent

It’s your right to be informed. The Ministry ensures that information we provide is based on the best scientific and medical evidence available nationally and internationally.


New Zealand has an epidemic

New Zealand has an epidemic of a specific strain of group B meningococcal disease. There is no room for complacency. Disease rates are three times the rate considered an epidemic by the World Health Organization. Since the epidemic began in 1991 meningococcal disease has caused more than 5700 cases, 231 deaths and left many people with permanent damage. The epidemic strain has caused about three in every four of these cases.

For every 100 people who contract meningococcal disease, four people die and up to 20 people are left with some degree of serious disability such as amputations, deafness, brain damage or scarring.

New Zealand doctors, nurses and parents have a high awareness of meningococcal disease but awareness alone is not enough. Meningococcal disease can be difficult to diagnose and can develop rapidly leaving its victim severely ill within hours.


The vaccine offers protection

The best protection available is the MeNZB™ vaccine. We must also all stay watchful for signs of the disease and seek early treatment when the disease is suspected. This is because no vaccine is 100 percent effective and furthermore, other less common strains of the disease will still circulate.


The vaccine was tested according to international standards

“The Ministry has responded to the epidemic with wise steps to protect our children and tackle a killer. Each step of the development of this programme has been prudent and timely following the best advice available locally and overseas. Our members look forward to fewer children and young people suffering and less need to break tragic news to families.” - New Zealand Paediatric Society.

New Zealand followed a similar process to the United Kingdom and the United States, in introducing a meningococcal vaccine based on phase I and II trials. Like the United Kingdom and the United States, New Zealand did not go on to do a phase III trial. Phase I and II trials establish if people produce antibodies to protect against disease after they are vaccinated. Most people in the New Zealand trials of the MeNZB™ vaccine produced a good antibody response. There is strong evidence that these antibodies will protect most people against the disease.


The vaccine is safe

The New Zealand trials found no safety concerns. To date about one million doses have been given in the programme. A separate board set up by the Health Research Council and called the Independent Safety Monitoring Board (ISMB) is the watchdog on the vaccine’s safety. The ISMB has expressed no concerns regarding the vaccine’s safety to date.

Many children and young people will have a reaction to the vaccine. The most common reactions include sore arms and some redness and swelling around the injection site and skin reactions.

A smaller number of people have reported reactions such as fevers, headaches, nausea and vomiting, a general feeling of being unwell or muscle and joint pain. These are all expected reactions that generally mean the vaccine is working and disappear within a few days. While it is not pleasant to have an irritable child - immunisation is about ensuring children are protected against some serious illnesses.


Vaccine and information availability

The immunisation programme began last July and will end in June 2006. The vaccine is being offered to everyone in New Zealand aged from six weeks to 19 years. Immunisation involves each child or young person receiving three doses of the MeNZB™ vaccine.

Immunisation is free.

Planning is under way to consider extending the availability of the vaccine for babies when the current programme finishes next June.

Some people have asked where they can get more information. If you have access to the internet, the official website for the programme is www.immunise.moh.govt.nz. This website has links to other credible sites for more information from other sources.

People can also call the free information line staffed by registered nurses on 0800 20 30 90.

The Ministry has produced leaflets and booklets about the programme so please ask your local doctor or District Health Board for copies.

Yours sincerely
Karen O. Poutasi (Dr)
Director-General of Health
Ministry of Health


Letter endorsed by: AuckPac Health Trust Board (AuckPac PHO), College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ) Inc., DHBNZ, Health Care Aotearoa, Health Star Pacific Trust, Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) - University of Auckland, Independant Practitioners Association Council of New Zealand (IPAC), Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd. (ESR), Maori Women’s Welfare League, Meningitis Trust, National Council of Maori Nurses, National Meningitis Trust of New Zealand, New Zealand College of Midwives, NZ Medical Association, New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO), NZ Occupational Health Nurses Association, Paediatric Society of NZ, Royal NZ College of General Practitioners, Southern Healthcare Trust, Te Kohanga Reo National Trust, The Royal NZ Plunket Society Inc., Te Ohu Rata o Aotearoa - Maori Medical Practitioners Association (Te ORA), University of Canterbury Health Centre.