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AAP News Vol. 13 No. 2 February 1997, p. 1 © 1997 American Academy of Pediatrics
A flurry of activity in the development and licensing of DTaP (diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis) vaccines coincides with the Academy's release of a related policy statement, recommending the use of acellular over the whole-cell vaccine (DTwP) for the initial series in infants and children. These events may bode well for DTaP's potential use in adults and for the future availability of more combined vaccines. The most recent event came at the close of 1996, with licensure of the first DTaP product for use in all five doses in the DTP immunization series. Licensed by Wyeth-Leder-le Vaccines and Pediatrics, the use of Acel-Imune (Diptheria and Tetanus Toixoids and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Adsorbed), has been expanded to include infants at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. Until now, Acel-Imune had been approved for booster use in the fourth and fifth doses in children who had received the whole-cell vaccine in the first three doses.
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