Issue
Number 447
March 2, 2004
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- Health provider alert: CDC recommends immediate
suspension of third and fourth doses of PCV7
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March 2, 2004
HEALTH PROVIDER ALERT: CDC RECOMMENDS IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION OF THIRD AND
FOURTH DOSES OF PCV7
On March 2, CDC issued information about its decision to recommend that
health care providers immediately suspend the routine use of the third and
fourth doses of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7). The
information is reprinted below in its entirety.
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UPDATED RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE USE OF PNEUMOCOCCAL CONJUGATE VACCINE IN A
SETTING OF VACCINE SHORTAGE
On February 13, 2004, CDC recommended that health-care providers temporarily
suspend routine use of the fourth dose of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate
vaccine (PCV7) when immunizing healthy children. This action was taken to
minimize the likelihood of shortages until Wyeth Vaccines is able to restore
production capacity. Since that recommendation was issued, PCV7 production
has been much less than had been expected and shipments have been delayed,
resulting in shortages of vaccine. Widespread shortages may continue beyond
this summer. To further conserve vaccine, CDC, in consultation with the
American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP), and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP),
recommends that all health-care providers temporarily suspend routine use of
both the third and fourth doses, effective immediately. It is critical that
all providers immediately follow this recommendation, regardless of their
current vaccine supply. Children at increased risk of severe disease should
continue to receive the routine, 4-dose series. On March 5, 2004, CDC will
publish an MMWR article describing this revised recommendation. This
recommendation reflects CDC's assessment of the existing national PCV7
supply and may be changed if the supply changes. Updated information about
the national PCV7 supply is available at
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/news/shortages/default.htm
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To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of this information, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/news.d/newsalert304.pdf
On March 2, CDC posted on its website an "MMWR Dispatch" titled "Updated
Recommendations on the Use of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine: Suspension of
Recommendation for Third and Fourth Dose."
To access a web-text (HTML) version of this Dispatch, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm53d302a1.htm
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/wk/mm53d302.pdf |
