DTaP vaccine and diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis: Raise your hand if you want a plain pertussis-only vaccine?
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Although the D and the T diseases are virtually unheard of in infants and young children in the United States, the P disease, pertussis, is still very common and can be very serious for infants. This makes this vaccine very important, and I place it first on my Alternative Vaccine Schedule.
But wouldn't it be nice if you could just give your baby a pertussis vaccine, and delay the D and the T components until later in childhood? According to the vaccine product insert, it may be the Tetanus component of the vaccine that is responsible for the neurologic reactions (see The Vaccine Book). Unfortunately, an individual pertussis vaccine isn't available. Interestingly, however, P component of this vaccine is manufactured separately from the D and T parts, then combined at the end of the process. So it seems plausible that a separate pertussis vaccine could be done. It's quite the dilemma.
But wouldn't it be nice if you could just give your baby a pertussis vaccine, and delay the D and the T components until later in childhood? According to the vaccine product insert, it may be the Tetanus component of the vaccine that is responsible for the neurologic reactions (see The Vaccine Book). Unfortunately, an individual pertussis vaccine isn't available. Interestingly, however, P component of this vaccine is manufactured separately from the D and T parts, then combined at the end of the process. So it seems plausible that a separate pertussis vaccine could be done. It's quite the dilemma.
Labels: Vaccines and their diseases
posted by Dr. Bob Sears @ 1:06 PM
12 Comments:
At September 10, 2007 12:49 AM ,
Elizabeth said...
[hand raised] I vote for a Pertussis-only vax! :-)
At October 22, 2007 9:02 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Do you have any information on who we should contact to inform them of the demand for a Pertussis only vaccine? Maybe we could start come sort of online petition or something.
At October 24, 2007 11:01 AM ,
JuliaZ said...
I didn't vaccinate my Jan 2000 daughter for anything until she was over 18 months old (she was breastfed for 25 months and cared for at home until 18 months) and then probably mistakenly got her DT (believing it was safer).
I REALLY wish there was a P vaccine available. I am due again in April 2008 and while I'm EXTREMELY grateful both for you book and the changes in vaccines with regard to thimerosal, I doubt I will do the DTaP vaccine for this baby either. I'm just not willing to take those risks. A pertussis vaccine I would chance, because that's the disease of the three that I worry about for an infant.
Thanks so much for your work to bring some sanity to this confusing topic!!
At October 24, 2007 2:23 PM ,
Dr. Bob Sears said...
Anonymous - unfortunately I don't know how to get a "P" only vaccine going.
At November 7, 2007 8:22 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Yes, we need the "P" vaccine only.
At July 17, 2008 5:47 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Do you know if it is available in other countries besides the U.S?
At September 23, 2008 8:47 PM ,
Anthony said...
I just did a search and found two Pertussis only vaccine. One is called Acel-P, the other Pertussis Vaccine both are made in Canada. They are made by Wyeth-Ayerst and Pasteur Mérieux Connaught respectively. The web page from which this info came is http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/ccdr-rmtc/97vol23/23sup/acs3.html
Please reference 'Table 3' that is where the manufacturer info resides.
If you are able to find out how we can get these vaccines to our providers please let me know - I have a 2 month old that needs to get the P shot very soon.
Best,
Tony
At March 18, 2009 2:05 PM ,
Anonymous said...
[Hand Raised as well]
The Doctors I talked to hadn't heard it was available separtely. Using the right search words I found the informaiton pretty quickly. I may have missed this in the Sears book. I guess I'm stuck with them all at this point.
At March 24, 2009 1:52 PM ,
Anonymous said...
I absolutely vote for a Pertussis only vaccine. Thank you Anthony!
I'm also looking for a tetanus only vaccine. The Vaccine Book mentioned that Sanofi Pasteur made one but I called them up and they told me they didn't. My search continues.
At April 23, 2009 7:42 AM ,
Christine said...
I am sure that a massive calling campaign to the pharmaceutical companies expressing our desires and concerns would make some changes. Especially if physicians joined the campaign.
Not only do I want safer vaccines, but I want ETHICAL ones as well. It is unconscionable to give my baby vaccines that were developed using aborted fetuses. If anyone wants more info you can go here http://www.cogforlife.org or you can just google vaccines aborted fetuses Catholic. There will be more info than you probably want to know.
At April 23, 2009 7:51 AM ,
Christine said...
Here are the Physician Order Lines for a few companies:
Merck 800-422-9675
GSK 866-475-8222
Sanofi Pasteur 800-822-2463
At June 2, 2009 5:05 AM ,
Anonymous said...
I absolutely want a pertussis only vaccine. I can't believe they don't produce them! In Western Australia pertussis infection rates are on the increase and I facing the dilemma of vaccinating along with D,T, polio etc which I do not want or just not vaccinating at all and risking infection???
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