serotype 19A

New vax to broaden protection against pneumococcal disease

WITH penicillin resistance at an all-time high, Australia is set to adopt a 13-valent vaccine that broadens protection against pneumococcal disease. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee had provided a positive recommendation for Prevenar 13 to be included in the National Immunisation Program, Pfizer Australia confirmed. A Pfizer spokeswoman said Prevenar 13 would be listed on the program for the same indications as the 7-valent Prevenar: a three-dose schedule for healthy infants and a 3+1 schedule for at-risk babies. The recent 12 th immunisation conference of the Public Health Association of Australia heard that pneumococcal vaccine ...