This letter from Professor David Salisbury provides further information about the Department of Health’s plans to replace the pneumococcal vaccine Prevenar® (containing antigens against seven pneumococcal strains) with Prevenar 13® (effective against 13 strains of the pneumococcal bacteria) in the routine childhood vaccination schedule. 

This follows a previous alert issued on the 19th January 2010 (reference CEM/CMO/2010/02; see link below).

The annexes contain the information required for the introduction of the new vaccine, including background, timing, administration, consent, pharmacy issues, supply, storage, PGDs, information resources, recording, reporting adverse reactions, stock management, and funding arrangements.  The following actions should be taken now:

• Healthcare providers should familiarise themselves with the information that is available about Prevenar 13®and be developing a new PGD to support its introduction (a link to a template and other supporting documentation is given).

• Orders for supplies of Prevenar 13® should be placed with Movianto from 1st March 2010.

• Once stocks of Prevenar 13®begin to be distributed to healthcare providers, they should be administered to children in preference to Prevenar® to ensure that as many children as possible can benefit from the additional protection provided by the replacement vaccine.

• All GP surgeries should be using Prevenar 13® in the routine immunisation programme by 1st April 2010.

Please see the link below for details.