Prevenar vaccine - any information??

[homemama]

Hi, I wondered if anyone can tell me what they know about the prevenar vaccine. I know its for pnumo. meneng. but all i've heard are good things IYKWIM.
Friend's son caught P.M, was very poorly and now has reduced hearing. Doc at hospital told her there is a vaccine and that most docs he knows have their own children done!
Seems its widely used in many other countries inc US.
What I want to know is, can I get it privately as GP will not refer me?
Are there any negative side effects, only heard of good ones such as less ear infections.
Thanks in advance!

is that the chickenpox vaccine?

I can
I've just given it to ds2, it's a must have here in Australia, no side effects either

but don't know about doing it in UK

ok, I had a look, not chickenpox.
But according to this even in the USA there are shortages of it.

Wonder if you could get it from BUPA?

Don't know if this is credible , but it slates Prevnar rather thoroughly.
A more credible looking website , listing some quite awful very rare possible side effects, including seizures & even death.

here is the netdoctor blurb on it - prevenar

I looked a while ago about getting this done in the UK. I can't remember where (can look it up for you) but I think that you have to be a certain age to benefit from it - I think it is under 2 or something like that.

actually thinking back now, to clarify that under 2 bit - when I asked about it, I was told (by the GP) that it has the greatest benefit when given to the under 2s (as they are the greatest risk group to get PM) and the over 65s and that at that stage, if they gave it to any other age group (i.e. over 2) it was because there was a specific risk factor. But then again, this was a while ago and no doubt with the aussie vaccination programme, there will be loads more info.

Message withdrawn

don't read this if you don't like sad stories, but it was this story (I read it in the newspaper) that prompted me to ask about the vaccination. The bit about the vaccination is near the bottom.

matthew burns

thankyou everyone, seems like we have a lot to consider.
Foxinsocks, the Matthew Burns website moved me to tears!