A diphtheria tetanus pertussis (DTP) vaccine containing acellular pertussis vaccine will be supplied in place of the standard whole cell pertussis vaccine for the next three months, according to a letter dated December 2 from the Department of Health.
This action has been taken because of ongoing vaccine supply problems, which have affected childhood immunisation programmes. The letter was signed by the chief medical officer, chief nursing officer and acting chief pharmacist.
The letter states that the DTP vaccine containing whole cell pertussis vaccine is interchangeable with the acellular type so children who have started immunisation programmes on one vaccine can complete them with the other. The protective efficacy of the two vaccines is said to be similar and both types are licensed for use in the UK. Acellular vaccines have been used extensively in Europe and the US, but have only recently been licensed for use, other than as a booster, in the UK. A spokeswoman for the Department of Health told The Journal on December 7 that the reason for this previous lack of use was that there had been no reason to use acellular vaccines until now.
Infanrix, the Smithkline Beecham acellular DTP vaccine, will be issued initially, with Pasteur Mérieux MSD's Tetravac kept in reserve. A spokesman for Pasteur Mérieux MSD told The Journal on December 13 that manufacturing problems with its whole cell DTP vaccine had been resolved and stock would be available in the spring.
The Department of Health said that a decision on whether acellular DTP vaccines would continue to be used then or if a return to whole cell vaccines was made would be determined according to the needs of the vaccination programme.
Despite many months of supply problems with both Pasteur Mérieux MSD and Medeva's whole cell DTP vaccines, no child had gone without vaccination, according to Pasteur Mérieux MSD, although vaccinations might have been delayed as supply had been erratic.
The Department's letter also comments on supply issues with other vaccines. It says that problems with the DT pre-school booster were resolved when a supply of Pasteur Mérieux MSD's vaccine was made available. The Medeva Pharma product is expected to remain out of stock until March, 2000. BCG vaccine will continue to be in limited supply until April, 2000, and consequently schools' BCG programmes will remain "on hold". Only immunisation of high risk groups will take place, the letter says.