From Vincent Iannelli, M.D.,
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Boostrix is a new vaccine that provides protection against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) for adolescents between the ages of 10 and 18 years. It's recent approval by the FDA was welcome news to parents and Pediatricians who have been worried about the increase in the number of cases of pertussis in recent years.

According to the FDA, 'pertussis is a highly communicable disease of the respiratory tract that can be especially serious for infants less than one year old, and may even be fatal. Pertussis can cause spells of coughing and choking that make breathing difficult. The disease is generally less severe in adolescents, but it is thought that they might transmit the disease to susceptible infants and other family members. In the last 20 years, rates of pertussis infection have been increasing in very young infants who have not received all their immunizations and in adolescents and adults.'

Boostrix, or Tdap, includes the tetanus toxoid (T), reduced diphtheria toxoid (d) and acellular pertussis (ap) vaccine in a single shot.

Teens will be glad to hear that the approval of a new vaccine doesn't really mean that they need to get another shot. Instead, it will likely replace the Td (tetanus booster) that they were already receiving when they were 11 or 12 years old.

Other facts about Boostrix include that it is:

• preservative free (which means that, like most new vaccines, it doesn't contain thimerosal)
• made with reduced quantities of the same antigens that are in the Infanrix DTaP vaccine that many kids already get
• not approved for use in children under 10 years of age or for those who are over 18

Since it is a new vaccine, it may not be available in your Pediatrician's office for some time. However, because there is no alternative option to prevent pertussis in teens and since pertussis is such a big problem, it will hopefully be available very soon.

Insurance companies are often a big road block to more widespread use of new vaccines, as they are slow to compensate doctors for these new vaccines, which tend to be expensive. Be sure to call your insurance company and push for proper reimbursement of Boostrix (and Menactra, another new vaccine) so that your kids can get it as soon as possible.

A similar Tdap vaccine, Adacel, is being reviewed by the FDA and might be available for people between the ages of 11 and 64, which would be good news for adults who also want protection against pertussis.