The switch to new conjugated vaccines may compromise immunisation coverage for refugees

Phillips, Christine B; Patel, Mahomed

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00324.x

Topics

To the Editor: On 1 November 2005, the Australian states and territories introduced quadrivalent, pentavalent or hexavalent vaccines for childhood immunisations. This simplifies vaccination for young children, but may impair the ability of health services to provide primary immunisation for refugees over the age of 8 years.

Australian National University, Canberra, ACT.

Correspondence: christine.phillips@calvary-act.com.au

1. World Health Organization, UNICEF, World Bank. State of the world’s vaccines and immunization. New York: UNICEF, 2002.
2. Australian Government Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. Fact sheet 60. Australia’s refugee and humanitarian program. Available at: http://www.immi.gov.au/facts/60refugee.htm (accessed Oct 2005).
3. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. The Australian immunisation handbook. 8th ed. Canberra: AGPS, 2003.
4. GlaxoSmithKline. Boostrix: prescribing information. Available at: http://us.gsk.com/products/assets/us_boostrix.pdf (accessed Jan 2006).

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