Some changes have been made to the vaccines supplied by Ontario Government Pharmaceutical (OGP).
1. Meningococcal vaccine for High-risk Clients over age 55
- Temporarily, Menactra® (Meningococcal-Conjugate A,C,Y,W-135) is replacing Menomune® (Meningococcal-Polysaccharide A,C,Y,W-135) for high-risk individuals over the age of 55.
- When Menomune® vaccine becomes available again; it will be used for older high-risk adults. Menactra® is only licensed up to age 55 years.
2. DTaP-IPV vaccines: Quadracel® replaced by Infanrix®-IPV
- Infanrix®-IPV is replacing Quadracel® permanently as an equivalent product.
- Infanrix®-IPV is indicated only for unimmunized children ages 5 and 6, as their primary series.
3. MMRV vaccines: ProQuad™ and Priorix-Tetra®
- ProQuad™ (new) and Priorix-Tetra® are interchangeable MMRV vaccines that will be distributed based on availability for protection against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella.
- Priorix-Tetra® contains amino acids, lactose, mannitol, sorbitol, neomycin.
- ProQuad™ contains gelatin and neomycin.
- When MMRV vaccines are administered to children aged 12 to 23 months, there is a slightly higher
risk of febrile seizures in the 5 to 12 days following vaccination in 1 of every 2,600 vaccinated children compared to individually administered MMR and varicella vaccines.
- In Ontario, MMRV vaccine is publicly funded for children 4 to 12 years of age. MMR vaccine is given at 12 months and varicella vaccine at 15 months.
- MMRV should be administered promptly after reconstitution.
Have questions? Call Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 ext. 8806.
