New Vaccine Promises More Protection, Fewer Shots

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Vaccine Promises More Protection, Fewer Shots

FDA Approves Round of Three Inoculations That Protects Infants Against Five

Diseases

By Rob Stein, December 17, 2002; Page A02

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63854-2002Dec16.html

Visits to the doctor's office could get less painful for children, and less

stressful for their parents, with the approval yesterday of a new vaccine that

protects infants against five diseases with a single series of three shots.

The vaccine, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, combines in

one set of injections what had been three separate series of shots: one to

protect against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, another for polio and a

third for hepatitis B.

The combination could increase the number of children getting all their

recommended vaccinations, experts said.

" It's a big step forward in terms of adding to our armamentarium of childhood

vaccines, " said Midthun, director of the FDA's office of vaccine research

and review.

The vaccine could have the added psychological benefit of alleviating parents'

concerns about giving children so many shots when they are so young.

" There's a certain reluctance to get multiple vaccines in one visit. If you can

reduce the number shots, that could help, " said Alan Gober, a pediatrician who

has offices in Wheaton and Gaithersburg.

Stathes of Rockville, the parent of three of Gober's patients, said

Nikolas, 4, Stefan, 3, and Zoe, 2, have handled their shots well. But she'd

welcome something to make it even better.

" That would be great -- getting one poke instead of three, " she said. " It's just

easier on them. "

Although several other combination shots exist, such as the familiar vaccines

for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis

(whooping cough), the new shot combines the most to date.

The new shot could be just the first in a number of vaccines being developed by

drug companies to consolidate the immunizations children receive, which have

increased steadily in recent decades as new vaccines have been developed for

more illnesses.

" This is the first recent step in a move toward providing multiple combinations

so that we can reduce the number of sticks, " said Dr. Leonard Weiner, director

of pediatric infectious disease at the State University of New York at Syracuse,

who serves on the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Infectious

Diseases.

Like the vaccines it would replace, the new combined inoculation would be

administered at 2, 4 and 6 months of age, reducing from nine to three the number

of shots children would get in their first six months. Overall, it would reduce

the number of shots children get in their first two years from about 20 to about

13.

Tests showed the new vaccine to be as effective as the separate shots it would

replace, and it produced about the same amount of adverse reactions, although

children getting the new vaccine were somewhat more likely to develop low fevers

after the injections, the FDA said.

Carol J. Baker, professor of pediatrics at the Baylor College of Medicine in

Houston, said the new shot could help minimize the impact of vaccine shortages,

which were widespread last summer.

" As long as we can keep this combination product in supply, it gets around the

problem of having individual components missing the day the child comes for the

shots, " she said.

Children would still need to receive shots for other diseases, such as

meningitis, pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae type b, measles and chickenpox.

Health officials recently also began recommending flu vaccinations for children

6 months and older [despite the fact that the flu shot still contains

thimerosal, which is ethylmercury, which is more toxic to neurons than is

methylmercury (Congressional testimony by Baskin, M.D., Ph.D., Dec 10.

2002)] .

The vaccine, which will be called Pediarix, will be available in pediatricians'

offices beginning next month, and will cost about the same as the three vaccines

it's replacing, according to a spokeswoman for GlaxoKline, which developed

the vaccine.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company