Aventis Pasteur announces increase in vaccine supply.(Brief Article)

2002 JUL 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Aventis Pasteur has announced the availability of an increased supply of the adult and adolescent vaccine for tetanus and diphtheria, Tetanus, and Diphtheria Toxoids Adsorbed For Adult Use (Td), and will resume distribution of a limited amount of vaccine to office-based healthcare providers beginning June 2002. The increased supply will allow physicians to provide Td for wound care and other critical needs in the office, but routine boosters are still deferred at this time, in accord with current government guidelines.

Since the national shortage of Td began last year following the cessation of production by another manufacturer, the vaccine has been rationed and available only to emergency care facilities and public health clinics for critical needs. Healthcare providers will now have a limited supply of Td for use in wound care and other priority indications as described in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions' (CDC) guidelines for the interim deferral of routine Td boosters. Routine 10-year Td boosters should still be postponed at this time; Aventis Pasteur expects the CDC to lift the ...