The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new combination vaccine for children. The combination vaccine covers five different diseases — and could reduce the number of shots needed for infants by as much as a third.
The combination vaccine is known as Pentacel and is manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur. It is a four-dose vaccine series that protects against five different diseases:
- Diphtheria
- Tetanus
- Whooping cough (also known as pertussis)
- Polio
- Influenza type B
Pentacel is safe for children two months of age and older. Most childhood vaccines are completed before the age of eighteen months. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests that childhood vaccines be completed before a child’s fifth birthday. (This helps ensure that a child is protected against preventable illnesses before he or she enters kindergarten.)
Traditional, separate vaccines for preventable illnesses can add up to as many as twenty-three shots! Switching to Pentacel would reduce the total number of shots required for childhood immunizations to sixteen. If your child finds doctor visits and vaccinations traumatic, the combination vaccine might be a good option!
Before approval, the combination vaccine was clinically tested in more than five thousand children. The majority of the children responded well, with few side effects. Most common side effects included:
- Redness and/or swelling at the injection site
- Fever
- Crying and fussiness
The five in one vaccine is not recommended for children who have had adverse reactions to any of the component vaccines. For example, children who had a serious reaction to a whooping cough or tetanus vaccine should probably not receive the combination vaccine.
I’m a big believer in vaccination, personally. Immunizations have nearly eliminated once-rampant diseases like polio, measles, and mumps. But the decision on what vaccinations are appropriate for you and your family is yours. Talk to your doctor about immunization options and the risks and benefits.