Boostrix has become the first approved vaccine in the US to help protect infants younger than two months from pertussis (whooping cough).
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Boostrix (tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine adsorbed [Tdap]) for immunisation during the third trimester of pregnancy.
Since 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 15,000 to 48,000 pertussis cases among people of all ages in the US each year. Infants are at high risk of complications from whooping cough because their immune systems are still developing.
According to the CDC, the Tdap vaccination given during pregnancy provides the best protection to infants against whooping cough. Vaccination passes protective antibodies to babies before birth to protect them in their first months of life.
Roger Connor, President, Vaccines and Global Health, GSK, said: “We’re immensely proud to have the first-ever Tdap vaccine approved by the FDA specifically for use during pregnancy. We believe this approval may help protect more infants from the potentially life-threatening implications of whooping cough.”
Boostrix is currently approved in over 80 countries worldwide, including the US, most European Union countries, Canada, Australia and New Zealand for immunisation against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.
