[2020 National Audit] "Vaccine Raw Material Fertilized Eggs Possible Cause of Toxin Death"…MFDS "Thorough Aseptic Management"

Opposition Criticizes Flu Vaccine Death Incident... Jung Eun-kyung "Feels Heavy Responsibility"

On the 22nd, cases of death caused by the flu vaccine are occurring nationwide, and at Seoul Dongbu Hospital in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, fewer people than usual are registering to receive the flu vaccination. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] As deaths following influenza (flu) vaccination continue, claims have been raised that toxins or bacteria in fertilized eggs, which are the raw materials for the vaccine, could be the cause of death.

On the 22nd, Kang Ki-yoon, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee from the People Power Party, stated that, based on consultation with Professor Seo Sang-hee of the Department of Veterinary Medicine at Chungnam National University, who developed the H1N1 vaccine, it was confirmed that when the flu virus is cultured in fertilized eggs, if toxins or bacteria exceed the standard levels, it can cause shock leading to death.

Rep. Kang argued, "Vaccines should be made from fertilized eggs that are toxin-free below the standard level and sterile clean eggs, but in the urgent mass production of 19 million doses procured by the government, there is a possibility that regular eggs containing bacteria or toxins above the standard were used, or that poor management such as exposure to room temperature caused bacteria or toxins to exceed the standard levels."

He added, "Health authorities need to investigate the condition of the fertilized eggs used for vaccine cultivation and examine the bacteria and toxin levels in vaccines already distributed. The syringes of vaccines that caused deaths should not be discarded but promptly collected for bacteria and toxin testing."

Rep. Kang also said, "When toxic substances from bacteria or toxins enter the body and are absorbed by cells, an immune neutralization response occurs, making it difficult to detect bacteria or toxins, and it can be extremely challenging to clearly establish a causal relationship between the vaccine and death even in autopsies."

In response, Lee Ui-kyung, Commissioner of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, attending the Health and Welfare Committee's national audit at the National Assembly that day, said, "We thoroughly manage all processes including vaccine manufacturing, production, and quality control," and "We also conduct regular inspections of fertilized egg production facilities to ensure there are no issues."

Commissioner Lee emphasized, "During the manufacturing process, sterile filtration and purification steps are performed, and unlike other products, the vaccine undergoes national batch release approval by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. In this process, sterile tests and endotoxin (bacterial toxin) tests are conducted by random sampling, managing sterility in multiple layers."

During the national audit, opposition party lawmakers continued to criticize the increase in deaths following flu vaccination.

Rep. Lee Jong-sung of the People Power Party said, "Thirteen people have died after receiving the flu vaccine," and asked, "The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) is trying to avoid responsibility by stating there is no direct causal relationship between the vaccine and deaths. Shouldn't they refrain from such an attitude of 'it's not our responsibility'?"

In response, KDCA Commissioner Jung Eun-kyung said, "As the person responsible for the national immunization program, I feel a heavy responsibility," and added, "I apologize for the problems that occurred during the distribution process of the flu vaccine."