Report on Poliomyelitis Vaccine Produced by the Cutter Laboratories

>0
m
-c
m
o =
The Study
Six cases of poliomyelitis were reported as having occurred by April
26 among children who had received vaccine manufactured and distributed
by the Cutter Laboratories. Because of the possibility that some of
these cases might be attributable to the presence of infective amounts
of live virus in some of the lots of vaccine, the Public Health Service
requested the Cutter Laboratories to recall the unused portions of
the vaccine they had distributed and to suspend the distribution of
new lots.
o
An investigation was begun on April 27. It included: o
1. Statistical study of the occurrence of poliomyelitis in the -
United States with special attention to vaccination as a possible
0
source of infection.
2. Study of Cutter plant facilities, their production practices and
the vaccine they produced.
o
3. Study of vaccine production in the industry as a whole. 0
0
The general problem of vaccine production was the subject of the Public
Health Service's Report on Salk Poliomyelitis Vaccine published in
June 1955. Those findings of the study with general relevance to the
o
entire industry led to the May 26, 1955, revised minimum requirements
which the Public Health Service believes provide adequate safeguards
for the routine production and use of poliomyelitis vaccine. Those
aspects of the study with primary relevance to Cutter vaccine and 0
z
production methods are the subject of this report. H
~ 0
ml

I
* m
':1