Immunization Newsbriefs (c) Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii's new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.

------------------------------------------------------------

April 14, 2003

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Vaccine Attacks Four Childhood Diseases"

United Press International (www.upi.com) (04/11/03); Susman, Ed

A vaccine being developed by Merck Research Laboratories aims to protect against measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox.  UCLA Center for Vaccine Research researcher Jay Lieberman believes the fewer shots required for vaccinations will mean an increase in vaccine coverage.  A recent preliminary study of the ProQuad vaccine involved nearly 4,000 healthy children between the ages of 12 months and 23 months; the children received either the new vaccine or MMR-II and a second injection of the Varivax chickenpox vaccine.  Speaking at the annual meeting of the European Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Lieberman said seroconversions for both the experimental vaccine and the approved vaccines were similar and he expects Merck to file for Food and Drug Administration approval sometime soon.

Vaccination News Home Page

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.