FDA approves Merck & Co’s combination child vaccine

Proquad is the first and only vaccine approved in the US to help protect against these four diseases in a single shot. Proquad is also approved for use in children 12 months to 12 years of age if a second dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is to be administered.

Proquad combines two well-established Merck vaccines, MMRII, for inhibition of measles, mumps and rubella, and Varivax which was released in 1995 for chickenpox.

“Until now, a young child had to undergo two separate vaccinations against these diseases. The approval of Proquad makes it more likely that more children can gain protection against these four diseases because fewer shots can potentially mean better compliance,” said Dr Henry Shinefield, clinical professor of pediatrics and dermatology at the University of California School of Medicine at San Francisco, and clinical investigator for Proquad.

“By allowing vaccination against chickenpox to occur simultaneously with vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella, Proquad can help increase the number of children vaccinated against chickenpox at the earliest recommended time – upon a baby’s first birthday,” he continued.

According to an US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, potential advantages of combination vaccines include reducing multiple injections, improving timely vaccination coverage, reducing the costs of stocking and administration of separate vaccines for health care providers and reducing healthcare costs for extra health visits.