Anew vaccine that provides immunity against six childhood diseases has received
marketing authorisation from the European Commission. The combination vaccine
is intended for primary and booster vaccination of infants against diphtheria,
tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type
b (Hib).
The vaccine will be marketed by Aventis Pasteur MSD, under the name Hexavac,
and by Smithkline Beecham, under the name Infanrix Hexa. Both companies will
be marketing their vaccines in Germany first. Availability in the United Kingdom
is unlikely for some time.
A spokesman for Aventis Pasteur MSD told The Journal on October 31 that there
were three issues concerning the use of its new vaccine in the UK. First, polio
vaccination is currently given by the oral route, secondly, the new vaccine
contains acellular pertussis rather than whole cell pertussis and thirdly, hepatitis
B vaccination is not routinely given to children in the UK. Smithkline Beecham
said that it was also unlikely that Infanrix Hexa would be available in the
UK until the Department of Health brought the paediatric immunisation schedule
for the UK into line with the rest of Europe.
Hexavac will be available in a single, ready to use, 0.5ml prefilled syringe
containing all six components, whereas Infanrix Hexa will be available as a
dried powder Hib vaccine for reconstitution, with a prefilled syringe containing
the other five components.