Health Official Touts H1N1 Vaccine

A leading government health figure says tests on millions of people who have received the H1N1 flu vaccine shows that it's safe and effective.

Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said in a nationally broadcast interview Tuesday that people should not worry about the safety of the vaccine. He pointed to a study of pregnant woman that more than 90 percent of the patients who got the vaccine mounted "a response that you would have predicted."

Fauci said on CBS's "The Early Show" that officials did a clinical trial and found that "a single, standard dose of H1N1 vaccine produces a standard response" in terms of building immunity. He said "there are very strong data to indicate the vaccination will protect you."

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As the traditional flu season gets underway, it is important to note that there are several strains of flu circulating now, including H1N1, and that vaccination against all these strains can be life-saving, notes CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton.

Fauci told "The Early Show" the H1N1 vaccine is made the same way as the seasonal flu vaccine.

"It isn't accurate to say this is a brand new vaccine," Fauci said.