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The Pandemrix vaccine, which has been used against pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009, is associated with the occurrence of rare disease, narcolepsy significantly, believes a study European to be published this week, according to the Agency of the drug (MSNA).
Given a risk multiplied by four, "and the distribution by age in France" of vaccinated at the time, these works estimate that "400 cases of narcolepsy are attributable to this vaccination, even if not formally link", says the MSNA to AFP. The Agency stands out so much higher estimates outlined Wednesday in the Canard enchaîné.

Sleep disorder
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by excessive sleepiness during the day, with uncontrollable bouts of sleep. It can be accompanied by sudden loss of muscle tone (cataplexy). The frequency of disease (all combined case) is 20 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. According to a report from April 2011, nearly 200 cases of narcolepsy after vaccine have been reported in Europe, in a period of 1 to 6 months after vaccination, for the most part in Finland and Sweden (60 cases each) where Pandemrix, laboratory GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), was the only vaccine used.

In France, on the same date, 23 cases were reported after vaccination with Pandemrix (including 20 with cataplexy), leading vaccine, and 2 cases with Panenza, little used. Each year, usually 900 new cases of narcolepsy are counted in France, then indicated the health agency. A Finnish study later confirmed an increase in cases of narcolepsy among the 4-19 years who received this vaccine with an adjuvant. The Finnish Institute of health and welfare (THL) stated however that the subjects who developed the narcolepsy had genetic predispositions.

In October 2011, Finnish Government and insurance companies announced they compensate for life children become narcoleptic after having been vaccinated with the Pandemrix pandemic influenza A (H1N1). This measure concerns 79 children whose 76 also suffer from cataplexy.