Here's good news for infants and their parents: Pediarix, a five-in-one vaccine, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Pediarix, which combines diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and inactivated poliovirus vaccines, is given at two,four, and six months of age. It's use eliminates up to six shots.
There are several advantages to fewer shots. Fewer shots mean less cost. And parents are more likely to have their babies properly immunized if fewer shots are necessary.
The FDA didn't approve this vaccine when it was first presented to them in 2001. They had concerns about its efficacy, a possible increase in fevers in infants receiving the vaccine, and questions about its effect on the efficacy of pneumococcal vaccine if both were given at the same time. Additional studies from Europe produced enough data to eliminate these concerns.
The vaccine shouldn't be used in infants under six weeks old. The common side-effects, pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fever, and fussiness were the same as for the individual vaccines.
Family Practice News, 1/15/03, pp.1-3
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