Some of the views expressed in the following notes on newly approved products should be regarded as preliminary, as there may have been limited published data at the time of publication, and little experience in Australia of their safety or efficacy. However, the Editorial Executive Committee believes that comments made in good faith at an early stage may still be of value. Before new drugs are prescribed, the Committee believes it is important that more detailed information is obtained from the manufacturer's approved product information, a drug information centre or some other appropriate source.
Tripacel vaccine (CSL)
0.5 mL single dose vials or ampoules of acellular pertussis antigens, diphtheria toxoid and tetanus toxoid
Indication: immunisation
AMH Section 20.1
This product is the second preparation of triple antigen to include acellular pertussis vaccine. The first product on the market contained 3 purified antigens of Bordetella pertussis. This product contains two additional antigens.
In clinical studies, the efficacy of the vaccine was 85%. Like its competitor, the vaccine causes fewer reactions than whole cell vaccine. The incidence of adverse effects is comparable to that seen with combined diphtheria and tetanus vaccine.
At present, the inclusion of 5 antigens does not seem to give this vaccine a significant clinical advantage over the other acellular vaccine.
