At least nine people were reported to have died in Italy for reasons potentially linked to a flu vaccine which has been suspended by the Italian competent authority for drugs AIFA, local media said on Friday.
On Thursday, AIFA prohibited the use of two lots of the Fluad vaccine, produced at a plant of Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company Novartis in the city of Siena, after "serious and deadly cases" were reported in conjunction with the administration of doses from the two lots.
AIFA in a statement urged people who have been treated with the vaccines from the two lots to promptly inform their family doctors. The authority highlighted, however, that the move was carried out only for precaution, as there was no proved correlation between the casualties and the vaccine.
"A full picture will be provided only after a full analysis of all elements, including the general health of the patients, their ages and possible illnesses they might have had, is carried out," the statement said.
Tests were being conducted at Italy's national institute of health and first results will be made known in about a week, AIFA said, adding that an investigation has been opened over the case.
The head of Italian federation of family doctors (FIMMG) Giacomo Milillo stressed, however, the importance of flu vaccine in a country where more than 8,000 people died last year due to flu complications.
"Entire lots had been suspended for months in the past due to suspicious cases, which were found later to be unrelated to the vaccine," he noted.
The latest episode risks spreading hysteria among citizens and weakening the vaccine campaign, which is vital to saving many lives, especially those of weaker people, Milillo said.