Is Pneumococcal Vaccine a OTC option?
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Hello, my friend is a 55-year-old woman who wants to know if there are OTC options to prevent pneumococcal disease. She has had breast cancer, diabetes, and high cholesterol. She is being treated with chemotherapy and other medications. Please provide some suggestions.
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@insiya The best way for your friend to prevent pneumococcal disease, which can cause meningitis, pneumonia, and sepsis, is to get the pneumococcal vaccination. The CDC recommends the pneumococcal vaccination for children younger than 2 years and adults 65 years or older. In certain situations, older children and other adults also can receive the pneumococcal vaccines. There are 2 pneumococcal vaccines on the market: PCV13 (Prevnar 13) and PPSV23 (Pneumovax 23). The recommendations for PCV13 include children younger than 2 years and patients 2 years of age and older with certain medical conditions. PPSV23 is recommend for patients 65 years and older, individuals 2 to 64 years with certain medical conditions, and adults who smoke cigarettes. She is eligible for both PCV 13 and PPSV23, because she is immunocompromised due to chemotherapy. The CDC recommends that PCV13 should be followed by a dose of PPSV23 a year later in all immunocompetent persons aged 65 years or older who have not previously received the pneumococcal vaccine. Because your friend is immunocompromised, the interval between doses would be shortened to 8 weeks