HIB Vaccine Recall

As you may have heard, Merck pharmaceutical company has recalled 10 lots (batches) of vaccinations that protect against the bacterial infection known as HIB (Haemophilus Influenzae B). This amounts to about 1 million doses being taken off the market. Merck voluntarily did this as a precautionary measure when manufacturing equipment was found to be contaminated with a bacteria called Bacillus cereus. It is unlikely that any individual dose of vaccine would contain any/enough of this contaminant to cause a health problem.

Bacillus cereus can potentially cause a localized infection at the injection site. Thus far, there have not been any reports of infection. If it has been more than a week since your child received a HIB vaccine  with one of the recalled lots (Pedvax HIB, Comvax--lot numbers are available on at cdc.org) and your child did not have any problems, you can stop worrying now.

Because vaccine production is an elaborate process, it will take several months for Merck to get the HIB vaccine supply back up to a steady volume. And, there is only one other vaccine manufacturer that makes HIB vaccine. In the meantime, it's likely that children who have never received HIB vaccine (2 month olds) or those with higher risk of invasive infection with HIB (kids without spleens, leukemia, other cancers, immunecompromised) will be prioritized over those who need a booster dose (usually done at 12-15 months of age).

We anticipate recommendations soon from the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics for who will be prioritized to receive HIB vaccine during a shortage. Stay tuned.