Meningitec: primary immunisation schedule reduced to two doses

14 December 2005

The Summary of Product Characteristics for Wyeth's meningitis C vaccine, Meningitec, has been revised to include a two-dose primary immunisation schedule instead of the three-dose schedule recommended previously.

Meningitec is licensed for active immunisation of children from two months of age, adolescents and adults for the prevention of invasive disease caused by serogroup C.

The revised dosing recommendations for children aged two years and over state that two 0.5mL doses should be given, the first not earlier than two months of age, and with a minimum two-month interval between the two.

It is recommended that a booster dose is given after completion of this primary immunisation series, the timing of which should be in accordance with available official recommendations.

The recommended dose in children over 12 months, adolescents and adults, remains as a single dose of 0.5mL.

Meningitec should be administered by intramuscular injection, preferably in the anterolateral thigh in infants and in the deltoid region in older children, adolescents and adults. Gluteal injection is not recommended.

View Meningitec drug record

Further information available from: Wyeth Laboratories