"It's all misleading notions and rumours, the reality is that swine flu is a deadly pandemic, and not taking an H1N1 vaccine will be like committing suicide," Mohammad Touqeer Ansari told Focus.

Ingredients of the H1N1 vaccines have become a hotly debated topic of discussion among the community and many plan to not get the shots because of fears of a possible 'haram' substance - gelatin (processed from pigskin) - contained in the vaccine.

"That's true, that pork or gelatin are haram, but in this particular instance it's not and we are allowed. Saving your own as well as others' lives is more important in our religion," said Ansari.

In some situations, Ansari made it clear, both gelatin and pork are allowed.

"Tell me which one is the biggest sin - eating pork or committing suicide," questioned Ansari. "Of course, suicide is the biggest sin, and totally haram.

"Even when you're dying of hunger, you're permitted to take only three bites of pork to save your life and stop eating before you start enjoying it," said Ansari.

He said swine flu is a worldwide pandemic and all members of the community are duty-bound to protect themselves.

GSK reassurance

The manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline Inc reassured the public that the vaccine is very safe and prepared under the highest standards of patient safety and care.

"More than 3,000 patients worldwide have been vaccinated with Pandemrix and Arepanrix in clinical trials to date, and over 1.5 million people have received Pandemrix and Arepanrix through ongoing, worldwide vaccination programmes. It's very safe," Megan Spoore, GSK's spokesperson in Mississauga, told Focus.

Spoore made it clear the ArepanrixTM H1N1 is a two-component vaccine consisting of an H1N1 immunizing antigen and an AS03 adjuvant and that the antigen is prepared from virus grown in the allantoic cavity of embryonated hen's eggs while adjuvant is used to improve the effectiveness of vaccines or boost the immune response generated by the vaccine.

Ingredients

The antigen suspension contains thimerosal, sodium chloride, disodium hydrogen phosphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, potassium chloride and water for injections. The drug substance contains trace residual amounts of egg proteins, formaldehyde, sodium deoxycholate and sucrose.

Adjuvant emulsion vial has sodium chloride, disodium hydrogen phosphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, potassium chloride, water for injections.

Both antigen and adjuvant have to be mixed to form a final dose.