Pentacel vaccine is the first and only diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (DTaP) based combination vaccine for use infants and young children in the U.S. that includes both poliovirus (IPV) and Haemophilus influenzae type B (HiB) antigens. It is manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur. It is approved for use in infants and children 6 weeks through 4 years of age.

Pentacel has been available here in the U.S. for 6 months and in use in Canada for 11 years with excellent results and minimal side effects.

Because this vaccine combines DTaP, HiB, and IPV in one injection, children receive 6 less shots by their one year check up visit.

Tina Q. Tan infectious disease specialist at Children's Memorial Hospital states, "The FDA approval of Pentacel vaccine is great news for parents and pediatricians who want to reduce the stress of well-baby visits. Pertussis disease continues to remain a threat to young infants, who are at the highest risk for severe complications and death. With a four dose primary series of Pentacel vaccine, pediatricians can reduce the number of vaccination shots while providing protection against 5 diseases."

The FDA licensure of Pentacel vaccine is based on the results of multi-center clinical studies in the U.S. and Canada involving more than 5,000 children.

Side effects reported are less than administering these vaccines separately. These include redness, swelling or tenderness at the site and sometimes fever.

Because of the availability of Pentacel, we do not recommend administering DTaP, HiB, and/or IPV separately at the present time. HiB single vaccine doses are in short supply and may not be manufactured separately in the foreseeable future.