Pneumococcal vaccine program transition
Advisory Alert
July 9, 2024
*Cette information est seulement disponible en anglais.
To: Local Health System Partners
FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
New vaccine products for the publicly funded pneumococcal vaccine program
Ontario’s publicly funded pneumococcal vaccine program is transitioning to the following new pneumococcal conjugate vaccine products effective July 29, 2024:
- Pneumococcal 15-valent conjugate (Pneu-C-15), Vaxneuvance®, Merck Canada.
- Pneumococcal 20-valent conjugate (Pneu-C-20), Prevnar 20™, Pfizer Canada.
The new vaccine products will replace the current Pneu-C-13 (Prevnar®13 and Pneu-P-23 (Pneumovax®23) vaccine products which will no longer be publicly funded. The new vaccines will provide broader protection against invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), compared to Pneu-C-13, as well as longer-term protection compared to Pneu-P-23. Only the vaccine products are changing; eligibility and vaccination schedules are unchanged.
Vaccine availability
Public health agencies anticipate receiving the new vaccines mid-July. Please place your order for the new products beginning the week of July 15, 2024. Vaccines will be available for pickup beginning the week of July 22, 2024.
During the transition, you may continue to vaccinate your eligible patients with your current supply of Pneu-C-13 or Pneu-P-23. However, please begin to administer the new products as soon as you receive them. If you require pneumococcal vaccines to meet patient needs prior to July 22, 2024, please indicate this on the form when placing an order with Public Health, and we will send a supply of our current stock until the new products are ready for distribution.
Your existing inventory of Pneu-C-13 and Pneu-P-23 is to be returned to Public Health Sudbury & Districts using the non-reusable publicly funded vaccine return record.
Vaccine administration
Program eligibility is described in table 1 on the following page. Choose the appropriate vaccine for your patients based on their age and risk factors.
The use of Vaxneuvance® is limited to the routine infant vaccine program. The use of Prevnar 20™ is limited to seniors aged 65 years and older, as well as high-risk individuals 6 weeks of age and older. Individuals who have started immunization with one of the previous pneumococcal vaccines using the routine or high-risk schedule do not need to re-start the series and may receive the number of doses they require for series completion using the appropriate new product at the appropriate interval from previous dose.
The number of doses of vaccine required varies by product type, age at series initiation, previous immunization history, and risk. These criteria are outlined in the attached supplemental resources, noted below. The resources also contain a variety of vaccine schedules to support vaccine administration for those who are completing a series:
- Q & A for Health Care Providers
- Health Care Provider Fact Sheet: Children Aged 6 weeks to 4 Years
- Health Care Provider Fact Sheet: High Risk Individuals Aged 5 to 64 Years
- Health Care Provider Fact Sheet: 65 Years of Age and Older
Table 1: Transition of pneumococcal vaccines in the publicly funded vaccine program
| Vaccine program | Eligible age group | Current vaccine in use | New vaccine as of July 29, 2024 | Schedule for those initiating immunization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Routine | 6 weeks to 4 years of age (up to fifth birthday) | Prevnar®13 (Pneu-C-13) conjugate vaccine | Vaxneuvance® (Pneu-C-15) conjugate vaccine | Up to 3 doses 2, 4 and 12 months of age |
| Routine | ≥ 65 years of age | Pneumovax®23 (Pneu-P-23) polysaccharide vaccine | Prevnar 20™ (Pneu-C-20) conjugate vaccine | 1 lifetime dose |
| High-risk | 6 weeks to 4 years of age (up to fifth birthday) | Prevnar®13 (Pneu-C-13) and Pneumovax®23 (Pneu-P-23) | Prevnar 20™ (Pneu-C-20) | Up to 4 doses 2, 4, 6 and 12 months of age* *except for HSCT patients – refer to supplemental resources for further information. |
| High-risk | 5 to 64 years | Prevnar®13 (Pneu-C-13) and Pneumovax®23 (Pneu-P-23) | Prevnar 20™ (Pneu-C-20) | Up to 4 doses 2, 4, 6 and 12 months of age* *except for HSCT patients – refer to supplemental resources for further information. |
Please note that eligibility for the pneumococcal vaccine programs is not changing at this time, nor is the scheduling of doses. Revaccination of individuals with completed vaccine series is not part of the product transition. Recommendations for future additional doses of vaccines for those at high-risk of IPD who have received all eligible publicly funded pneumococcal vaccines will be considered for future programming.
Should you have additional questions, please contact us as outlined below.
Contact Public Health Sudbury & Districts
- To order a vaccine, please complete the Vaccine Order Form. Email to vaccineorder@phsd.caor fax to 705.677.9616. Report vaccines using the updated reporting form and fax to 705.677.9616 (the form is also available in French).
- To report an adverse event following immunization, complete the AEFI reporting form and fax to 705.677.9616.
- For immunization inquiries, call the Vaccine Preventable Diseases program at 705.522.9200, ext. 458 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).
Sincerely,
Original Signed By
M. Mustafa Hirji, MD, MPH, FRCPC
Acting Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer
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This item was last modified on July 10, 2024