Streptococcal infection

Assessment of the pertinence of a new pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Québec

In December 2008, a new pneumococcal vaccine (PCV-10) was licensed in Canada. An older vaccine (PCV-7) is used in Québec for the routine vaccination of children. The ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux du Québec (Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS)) asked the Comité d'immunisation du Québec (Québec Immunization Committee (CIQ)) to rapidly give an opinion on the pertinence of this vaccine and answer the three following questions:

  1. Can the old and the new vaccines be considered of equivalent value in preventing invasive infections caused by the seven streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes?
  2. Can they be considered interchangeable in terms of primary vaccination?
  3. Is one or the other of the vaccines deemed to have enough benefit to justify considering only this vaccine for the next supply contract?

PCV-7 was licensed on the basis of randomized clinical trials, and a good deal of information is available on…

Comité sur l'immunisation du Québec

Assessment of the appropriateness of an immunization program for pneumococcal infections in children using a reduced number of doses of conjugate vaccine

In Canada, the first 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-7) was licenced in 2001. The manufacturer's recommendation is to administer three doses at an early age for primary immunization and a booster dose during the second year (Wyeth-Ayerst Canada Inc. 2001). The recommendation of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NAIC) is to give 3 doses of vaccines at the same time as the other vaccines provided in the schedule at the ages of 2, 4 and 6 months, and the booster dose between 12 and 15 months (NAIC 2002). An economic analysis done for Canada indicated that such a program would significantly reduce the burden of disease in children, but that the cost-effectiveness indices, established for a purchase price of $58 per dose, were not favorable compared to other immunization programs (De Wals et al. 2003). In 2002, in response to the report of the Working Group on Conjugate Antipneumococcal Vaccine (INSPQ 2003), the Quebec Immunization Committee (QIC…

Comité sur l'immunisation du Québec