FDA: Newborns Protected by Whooping Cough Vaccine

[lushan]

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a whooping cough vaccine that protects newborns under 2 months of age. The federal agency on Friday approved Boostrix for use during the last 3 months of pregnancy to prevent pertussis in infants under 2 months old. The vaccine, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, was previously approved among pregnant people for their own protection.

[Tefan]

@lushan Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. Most cases that result in hospitalizations and death are among infants within 2 months of birth. The FDA said its decision was based on data from observational studies, which included 108 cases of pertussis in infants younger than 2 months old. According to data evaluated by the agency, the vaccine was 78% effective in preventing whooping cough.