If a dose of DTaP or Tdap is inadvertently given to a patient for whom the product is not indicated (e.g., wrong age group), how do we rectify the situation?

The first step is to inform the parent/patient that you administered the wrong vaccine. Next, follow these guidelines:

• Tdap given to a child younger than age 7 years as either dose 1, 2, or 3, is not valid. Repeat with DTaP as soon as feasible.
• Tdap given to a child younger than age 7 years as either dose 4 or 5 can be counted as valid for DTaP dose 4 or 5.
• Tdap or DTaP given to a fully vaccinated child age 7–9 years: the child should receive the routine adolescent Tdap dose at age 11–12 years.
• Tdap or DTaP given to a fully vaccinated child age 10 years: count this dose as the routine adolescent Tdap dose recommended at age 11–12 years.
• DTaP given to an undervaccinated child age 7–9 years: count this dose as a Tdap dose of the catch-up series. The child should receive the routine adolescent booster dose of Tdap at age 11–12 years.
• DTaP given to an undervaccinated child age 10 years: count this dose as the routine adolescent Tdap dose recommended at age 11–12 years.
• DTaP given to a person age 11 years or older: count this dose as a routine Tdap dose.

Note that DTaP is neither approved nor recommended for people older than 6 years (except hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients in some situations; see www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-best-practices/altered-immunocompetence.html).