Merck Statement on CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' Recommendation for Pneumococcal Vaccination in Immunocompromised Adults

Merck

today provided the following statement regarding the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)'s updated recommendation for pneumococcal vaccine as a two vaccine regimen in adults with immunocompromising conditions, functional or anatomic asplenia, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) leaks or cochlear implants. “Merck supports today's ACIP recommendation for the use of PNEUMOVAX 23 as part of the regimen in these individuals," said Mark Feinberg, M.D., Ph.D., chief public health and science officer, Merck Vaccines. "In addition to this updated recommendation, it is important for clinicians to continue to focus on implementing the ACIP's long-standing recommendation for use of only PNEUMOVAX 23 to help protect all adults aged 65 and older, as well as adults 19 and older with certain other chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes and COPD."