Dosage and Administration for PNEUMOVAX®23 (Pneumococcal Vaccine Polyvalent)
For intramuscular or subcutaneous injection only
Preparation and Dosing
- Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration. If either of these 2 conditions exists, the vaccine should not be administered.
- Do not mix PNEUMOVAX 23 with other vaccines in the same syringe or vial. Use a separate sterile syringe and needle for each individual patient to prevent transmission of infectious agents from one person to another.
Single-Dose Vials
Withdraw 0.5 mL from the vial using a sterile needle and syringe free of preservatives, antiseptics, and detergents.
Single-Dose, Prefilled Syringe
The package does not contain a needle. Attach a sterile needle to the prefilled syringe by twisting in a clockwise direction until the needle fits securely on the syringe.
Administration
- Administer PNEUMOVAX 23 intramuscularly or subcutaneously into the deltoid muscle or lateral mid-thigh. Do not inject intravascularly or intradermally.
Single-Dose Vials
Administer a single 0.5-mL dose of PNEUMOVAX 23 using a sterile needle and syringe.
Single-Dose, Prefilled Syringe
Administer the entire contents of the single-dose, prefilled syringe per standard protocol using a sterile needle.
Concomitant Use of PNEUMOVAX 23 With Other Vaccines
- Limited safety and immunogenicity data from clinical trials are available on the concurrent administration of PNEUMOVAX 23 and vaccines other than ZOSTAVAX.
- In a randomized clinical study, a reduced immune response to ZOSTAVAX® (Zoster Vaccine Live) was observed in individuals who received concurrent administration of PNEUMOVAX 23 and ZOSTAVAX compared with individuals who received these vaccines 4 weeks apart. Consider administration of the 2 vaccines separated by at least 4 weeks.
Indication for PNEUMOVAX 23
PNEUMOVAX® 23 (Pneumococcal Vaccine Polyvalent) is a vaccine indicated for active immunization for the prevention of pneumococcal disease caused by the 23 serotypes contained in the vaccine (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6B, 7F, 8, 9N, 9V, 10A, 11A, 12F, 14, 15B, 17F, 18C, 19F, 19A, 20, 22F, 23F, and 33F).
PNEUMOVAX 23 is approved for use in persons 50 years of age or older and persons aged ≥2 years who are at increased risk for pneumococcal disease.
PNEUMOVAX 23 will not prevent disease caused by capsular types of pneumococcus other than those contained in the vaccine.
Defer vaccination with PNEUMOVAX 23 in persons with moderate or severe acute illness.
Do not administer PNEUMOVAX® 23 (Pneumococcal Vaccine Polyvalent) to individuals with a history of a hypersensitivity reaction to any component of the vaccine.
Defer vaccination with PNEUMOVAX 23 in persons with moderate or severe acute illness.
Use caution and appropriate care in administering PNEUMOVAX 23 to individuals with severely compromised cardiovascular and/or pulmonary function in whom a systemic reaction would pose a significant risk.
Available human data from clinical trials of PNEUMOVAX 23 in pregnancy have not established the presence or absence of a vaccine-associated risk.
Since elderly individuals may not tolerate medical interventions as well as younger individuals, a higher frequency and/or a greater severity of reactions in some older individuals cannot be ruled out.
Persons who are immunocompromised, including persons receiving immunosuppressive therapy, may have a diminished immune response to PNEUMOVAX 23.
PNEUMOVAX 23 may not be effective in preventing pneumococcal meningitis in patients who have chronic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage resulting from congenital lesions, skull fractures, or neurosurgical procedures.
The most common adverse reactions, reported in >10% of subjects vaccinated with PNEUMOVAX 23 for the first time in a clinical trial, were: injection-site pain/soreness/tenderness, injection-site swelling/induration, headache, injection-site erythema, asthenia and fatigue, and myalgia.For subjects aged 65 years or older in a clinical study, systemic adverse reactions which were determined by the investigator to be vaccine-related were higher following revaccination than following initial vaccination.
Vaccination with PNEUMOVAX 23 may not offer 100% protection from pneumococcal infection.
Before administering PNEUMOVAX 23, please read the accompanying Prescribing Information. The Patient Information also is available.