December 12, 2007 - It is being reported that drug maker Merck is voluntarily recalling over a million doses of its children's vaccines due to the possibility of improperly sterilized production equipment.

According to the company they are recalling 11 lots of PedvaxHIB vaccine and two lots of its Comvax vaccine due to the lack of assurance regarding product sterility.

"The potential for contamination of any individual vaccine is low, and, if present, the level of contamination would be low," Merck said in a statement.

The vaccine that is being recalled protects children against meningitis, pneumonia and other serious illnesses.

According to Julie Gerberding, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, there is no risk for children who have already received a dose of the vaccine.

"This is not a health threat in the short run, but it is an inconvenience," she said.

"Those products are not distributed in Canada, so this is a U.S.-only recall," said Merck Frosst Canada spokesman Vincent Lamoureux.

"There is no link to our business in Canada."