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February 10, 2003
U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS
"Doctors Scrambling in Vaccine Shortage"
United Press International (www.upi.com) (02/10/03)
A new survey in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicates that 75 percent of 405 doctors' offices in a dozen states reported having problems with supplies of the heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. According to the survey, at least 50 percent said they had run out of the vaccine at least one time. The vaccine, called Prevnar, is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics for children under the age of two years. However, a shortage of the vaccine began in 2001, and doctors said it could continue throughout the year.
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