The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7176 p767-773
1 December 2001

This article
Reprint
Photocopy

News summary

Measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox combination vaccine in trials in Europe

Trials of a quadruple vaccine combining measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines are currently underway in Europe, but not in the United Kingdom.

The Department of Health has issued a statement in response to ongoing enquiries about the availability of a chickenpox vaccine in the United Kingdom. The Department says: "Should the vaccine become licensed, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises the UK Health Departments on matters relating to immunisation, will look at the possible role of chickenpox vaccine in the routine UK immunisation programme."

Varicella vaccine is currently available from GlaxoSmithKline in the United Kingdom on a named-patient basis. GlaxoSmithKline has submitted an application to obtain a licence for its chickpox vaccine to the Medicines Control Agency.

The company says that its vaccine is not expected to receive a licence for paediatric use.

Back to Top