Families are being asked to take part in swine flu vaccine trials taking place a St George’s Hospital.
Paediatricians at the university hospital’s teaching arm need 250 children to take part in the study.
There are currently two swine flu vaccinations under examination and the study will determine which one is the most effective.
From the start of October, 250 children aged six months to 12 years old will be enrolled to decide which vaccination will be used this winter to combat the infection.
Dr Paul Heath, St George’s specialist in paediatric infectious disease, said: “Children are one of the age groups most vulnerable to swine flu infection, so it is vital that we obtain information on their response to these vaccines.
“This study will help in decisions about which vaccine will be best for protecting children.”
Millions of doses of two swine flu vaccines have been purchased for use in the UK by the Department of Health to protect the public and control the expected outbreak this autumn and winter.
However information about their use in children is limited.
After the trial, researchers hope to determine if one of the vaccines is more effective in protecting against swine flu in a certain age range than the other.
Children who are in at-risk groups will be prioritised for vaccination, which is why it is important to know which of the vaccines offers the best protection.
The study is being funded by the National Institute for Health Research and has been adopted by the Medicines for Children Research Network.
A spokesman for St George’s said: “Children who take part in the study would receive two doses of a swine flu vaccine three weeks apart at the St George’s Vaccine Institute, Bedford Hill Family Practice or in two local primary schools.
“A blood test would be taken using a local anaesthetic cream before and after the immunisation course to check their response to the vaccines.”
Parents interested in enrolling their child in this study should visit swineflutrial.org website for further details.
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