| Technically Speaking |
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| Monthly Column by Deborah Wexler, MD |
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| Technically Speaking is a monthly column written by IAC’s Executive Director Deborah Wexler, MD. The column is featured in The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education Center’s (VEC's) monthly e-newsletter for healthcare professionals. Technically Speaking columns cover practical topics in immunization delivery such as needle length, vaccine administration, cold chain, and immunization schedules. |
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| Check out a recent issue of Vaccine Update for Healthcare Providers. The VEC e-newsletter keeps providers up to date on vaccine-related issues and includes reviews of recently published journal articles, media recaps, announcements about new resources, and a regularly updated calendar of events. |
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| TECHNICALLY SPEAKING |
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| CDC Issues New Pneumococcal Vaccine Recommendations for Adults Age 65 Years and Older |
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| Published October 2014 |
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| Information presented in this article may have changed since the original publication date. For the most current immunization recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, visit
www.immunize.org/acip/acip_vax.asp. |
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| The Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new pneumococcal
vaccine recommendations for adults age 65 years and older in the
September 19 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. These
recommendations involve administering in series BOTH pneumococcal
conjugate vaccine (PCV13, Prevnar 13, Pfizer) and pneumococcal
polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23, Pneumovax 23, Merck) to patients
beginning at age 65 years. The two pneumococcal vaccines are not
to be administered at the same office visit, and PCV13 should only
be given to patients age 65 and older who have not received a
previous dose of PCV13. Some details follow: |
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| New
pneumococcal vaccine recommendations for adults age > 65
years |
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Patient history: No previous pneumococcal vaccine (of
either type or at any age) or pneumococcal vaccination history
unknown
Give: PCV13 at age 65 (or older) followed by PPSV23
6–12 months later. |
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Patient history: Previous dose of PPSV23 vaccine received
at age 65 or older
Give: PCV13 at least one year after the PPSV23 dose. |
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Patient History: Previous dose of PPSV23 vaccine received
before age 65
Give: PCV13 at age 65 (or older), at least one year
after the most recent PPSV23 dose. Give the final dose of
PPSV23 6–12 months after PCV13, and at least five years after
previous PPSV23 dose. |
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| In addition
to the new recommendations for adults age ≥ 65 years, PCV13 and/or
PPSV23 continue to be recommended for high-risk adults age 19
years and older with certain health conditions (e.g.,
immunosuppression, asplenia, heart disease, lung disease, sickle
cell disease, diabetes, alcoholism, and cirrhosis) and lifestyles
(e.g., cigarette smoking). The prior vaccine history of these
individuals increases the complexity of applying the new
pneumococcal vaccine recommendations when they reach age 65 years.
Detailed information covering the recommendations for these
persons may be accessed through the links shown below. |
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| Every year
in the United States, thousands of adults die and many more are
hospitalized from pneumococcal disease. Be sure your patients are
appropriately immunized by assessing their immunization status for
all recommended vaccines – including pneumococcal – during every
healthcare visit. Of course, an especially opportune time for this
assessment is when they receive influenza vaccine in the fall.
According to CDC, either type of pneumococcal vaccine may be
administered at the same time as influenza vaccine. |
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| CDC
pneumococcal vaccine recommendations |
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| For
adults > 65 years of age |
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| For
adults 19 through 64 years of age with certain health conditions
or lifestyles |
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| From the Vaccine Education Center |
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| From the Vaccine Education Center |
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ACIP Recommendations
Vaccine Information Statements 
