Sanofi Pasteur recalls TB vaccine

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OTTAWA, June 15 (UPI) -- Sanofi Pasteur is voluntarily recalling Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccine -- used to prevent serious tuberculosis complications, Canadian officials say.

Officials at Health Canada said the vaccine was being taken off the market because problems in the manufacturing facility might have affected vaccine quality.

The Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccine is used to prevent serious complications of TB infection -- notably for infants and children living in First Nation and Inuit communities at high risk for tuberculosis. It is not widely used in Canada and does not prevent TB infection in someone who has already been exposed, Health Canada officials said.

Approximately 1,000 vials of the vaccine have already been kept out of circulation by Sanofi Pasteur and another 4,700 vials on the market are being immediately recalled, Health Canada said.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is investigating options to replace the vaccine and Health Canada officials said they will use all regulatory tools at their disposal to make a replacement vaccine available while ensuring that safety is not compromised.