A combined diphtheria, tetanus, five-component acellular pertussis, poliovirus and Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine

Ideally, combination vaccines should not only be safe and effective, but also integrate smoothly into the vaccination schedule and provide advantages over the use of separately administered vaccines. Pentacel(TM) (Sanofi Pasteur Ltd., Toronto, Canada), a combination vaccine first licensed in Canada and subsequently in other countries, is immunogenic against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b when administered at 2, 4, 6 and 15-18 months of age. In published studies, the safety, immunogenicity and effectiveness of this combination vaccine were comparable with those of separately administered vaccines, with the advantage of a simplified dosing schedule.