WHO recommends single dose of H1N1 vaccine
The World Health Organization's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization on Friday recommended the use of a single dose of swine influenza A (H1N1) vaccine in adults and children 10 and up. For younger children, SAGE recommended that "priority be given to the administration of one dose of vaccine to as many children as possible." The advice contrasts with EMEA's Oct. 23 recommendation that two adjuvanted vaccines, Pandemrix from GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE:GSK; NYSE:GSK) and Focetria from Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS; SIX:NOVN) be given as two doses, at least three weeks apart. The EMEA did say that the available data indicate that one dose may be sufficient for adults, although it added that the data are too limited to recommend the general use of a single dose. EMEA also recommends two doses of the unadjuvanted Celvapan H1N1 vaccine from Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX). ...