 |
 Condition
on Arrival
- Should not have been frozen; refrigerate on arrival.
Storage
- Store vaccine at 2°C to 8°C
(36°F to 46°F); DO NOT
FREEZE since freezing destroys
potency.
Handling
- Shake well before withdrawal and
use. Thorough agitation is necessary to
maintain suspension
of the vaccine.
Discard if the suspension does not
appear
homogenous.
- The vaccine should be used as supplied;
no reconstitution
is necessary.
- Parenteral drug products
should be inspected visually for extraneous particulate
matter and discoloration prior
to
administration whenever solution and container permit.
After thorough agitation, the vaccine is a slightly
opaque, white suspension.
General Tips
-
If you have questions about the condition of the vaccine
at the time of delivery, you should: 1) Immediately place
vaccine in recommended storage; and 2) Notify the Merck
Vaccine Customer Help Line at 1-800-MERCK-90 (1-800-637-2590);
or 3) Notify the National Immunization Program, CDC,
Atlanta, Georgia at 1-800-232-2522
(Por Español: 1-800-232-0233).5
- Rotate stock so that the earliest-dated
vaccine is used first.5
- Ensure that the refrigerator is plugged
into an outlet where it cannot be disconnected accidentally.5
-
Record refrigerator and freezer temperatures twice
a day in a temperature
log.5
- It is important to use a separate
sterile syringe and needle for each individual patient
to prevent transmission of infectious agents from one person
to another.
- Needles should be disposed of properly and should
not be recapped.5
- All vaccines must be discarded after the expiration
date; expired or damaged Vaccines for Children (VFC)
vaccines must be returned to your State Immunization
Program.5
- For vaccines that are used as supplied, no reconstitution
is necessary. Click
here for a demonstration of proper handling when
reconstitution is not required.
- For general questions concerning the proper storage
and handling of Merck vaccines, please contact the Merck
Vaccine Customer Center at 1-800-MERCK-90 (1-800-637-2590),
Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to
7:00 pm ET.
- Before administering VAQTA, please read the Prescribing
Information.
VAQTA is indicated for active immunization against disease
caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV) in persons 12 months
of age and older. Primary immunization should be given
at least 2 weeks prior to expected exposure
to HAV.
The dosing regimen for VAQTA 0.5 mL (~25U) consists of
2 doses, the first given at 12 months to 18 years of age,
and a booster dose given 6 to 18 months afterward.
Select safety information
VAQTA is contraindicated in individuals who are hypersensitive to any component
of the vaccine. Hepatitis A vaccine should not be administered to persons with
a history of a severe reaction to a prior dose of hepatitis A vaccine or to
a vaccine component.
Individuals who develop symptoms suggestive of hypersensitivity after an injection
of hepatitis A vaccine should not receive further injections of the vaccine.
In combined clinical trials involving healthy children 12 to 23 months of
age and children and adolescents 2 to 18 years of age, the most commonly reported
complaints (>2% of injections) in one or both of these groups were localized
injection-site reactions (pain/tenderness/soreness, warmth, erythema, swelling),
fever, diarrhea, vomiting, irritability, upper respiratory infection, rhinorrhea,
cough, rash, otitis media, and headache.
The total duration of the protective effect of VAQTA in healthy vaccinees
is unknown at present.
As with any vaccine, vaccination with VAQTA may not result in a protective
response in all susceptible vaccinees.
Before administering VAQTA, please read the Prescribing
Information.
|
Condition
on Arrival
