Sanofi Pasteur's Quadracel vaccine has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to protect children between the ages of 4 and 6 against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and poliomyelitis.
"Far too many children remain undervaccinated against serious diseases like pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease," Dr. David Greenberg, associate vice president and regional medical head for North America at Sanofi Pasteur, said in a statement. "We are committed to helping protect more children by making vaccination as easy and convenient as possible for parents and healthcare providers. The availability of Quadracel is a step in this direction. When Quadracel is used in children who started their immunization series with Pentacel (DTaP-IPV/Hib), it can save an extra shot and may help improve vaccination coverage for children through 6 years of age."
The company noted that the Centers for Disease Control recommends that children between the ages of 4 and 6 receive the vaccines that Quadracel provides. The CDC stated in a 2015 report that vaccination coverage had dropped 11 percent from the third to the fourth dose of Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids and Acellular Pertussis Adsorbed and Inactivated Poliovirus.
"Reducing the number of vaccine injections in a multi-dose series can mean more than just convenience," Dr. Michael Smith, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, said. "According to the CDC, it can also lead to stocking fewer vaccines – which helps facilitate process standardization – increased staff efficiency and prevention of administration errors."
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