Health
Meningococcal vaccine in short supply
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted June 12, 2006
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants physicians to hold off administering meningococcal conjugate vaccine to 11- to 12-year-olds because Sanofi Pasteur can't manufacture enough to meet demand. Doctors should keep giving the shot to teens entering high school who did not get it already, college freshmen in dorms and others at high risk. The vaccine's polysaccharide version also is an option for people traveling to areas where the disease is epidemic, although this version is also in short supply.
The agency is asking doctors to call back those who did not receive the shot when supply problems are resolved later this year.
The vaccine was approved in January 2005.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/06/12/hlbf0612.htm.
