Pork Products in MedImmune Swine Flu Vaccine

Intranasal H1N1 Vaccine with Living Virus Contains Porcine Gelatin

Oct 27, 2009

Vegetarians, and Islamic or Jewish individuals who avoid pork products for religious reasons, should know that inhaled swine flu vaccines contain gelatin made from pigs.

The intranasal H1N1 vaccine produced by MedImmune, LLC contains a weakened strain of the swine flu virus, an antibiotic, sugar, an emulsifier, an amino acid, monosodium glutamate, and hydrolyzed porcine gelatin. Porcine gelatin, or pork gelatin, is made from the leftover parts of a pig after slaughter, and is used in many products as a stabilizer.

MedImmune Intranasal Swine Flu Vaccine

The MedImmune Intranasal Swine Flu Vaccine was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in September 2009, for adults, and children ages 2 and up.

The intranasal vaccine is intended for inhalation only, and cannot be injected. This vaccine contains a live version of the swine flu virus, which has been attenuated, or weakened, in the laboratory.

Concerns about Pork Products

Both Islamic and Jewish religions forbid the consumption of pork products, and strict vegetarians avoid the use or consumption of any animal products. Pork is not considered a 'kosher' food by the Torah, because the pig does not chew its cud. Eating swine is also forbidden in the Quran.

Each individual makes personal choices about the degree to which they follow vegetarianism, Judaism, or Islam. The risk of becoming infected with the swine flu may be high enough that some consumers would choose to take the vaccination despite the presence of pork products. Without the knowledge that this product contains porcine gelatin, however, these consumers are unable to make an educated choice.

How Pork Gelatin is Made

According to the Gelatin Manufacturers Institute of America, the skin of pigs is the main source of purified gelatin in North America. Meat processing plants clean the skin to remove fat, hair, and meat before sending the skin to a gelatin production plant.

The skin is then cleaned further with alternating baths of hydrochloric acid/sulfuric acid and cold water. Once the acid has been washed off completely, the skins are then immersed in extremely hot water. The collagen component is extracted, and processed to become gelatin.

Quantity of Porcine Gelatin in a Dose of Swine Flu Vaccine

According to the MedImmune package insert, posted on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a single .2 mL (milliliter) dose of the intranasal swine flu vaccine contains 2 mg (milligrams) of hydrolyzed porcine gelatin.

Avoiding Gelatin in Swine Flu Vaccines

While the Sanofi Pasteur formulations of the H1N1 vaccine contain gelatin of unspecified sources, there are versions of the swine flu vaccine that do not list gelatin as an ingredient. CSL Limited produces an injectable form of the swine flu vaccine that is available for adults age 18 and older which contains no gelatin.

Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited produces a swine flu vaccine that is approved for adults and children age 4 and older, which also contains no gelatin products.

The copyright of the article Pork Products in MedImmune Swine Flu Vaccine in Islamic Beliefs is owned by Victoria Nicks. Permission to republish Pork Products in MedImmune Swine Flu Vaccine in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.