Canada is protecting the drugmaker of swine flu vaccine from lawsuits over potential side effects, Canada's top doctor has confirmed.

Dr. David Butler-Jones told a media teleconference Wednesday that Canada will shield GalxoSmithKline in the unlikely event there are problems with the vaccine, but it will not shield health practitioners who make mistakes in administering the shot.

"We're not obviously anticipating problems with it, but indemnification for a vaccine is important if someone does malpractice, basically injects someone the wrong way or causes harm because of their practice," he said.

"That's not a vaccine issue, it's a practice issue," he added.

The Public Health Agency of Canada had initially refused to say if Canada would shield drugmakers the way other G-8 governments have done.