Prior to June of 2021 there were two FDA approved pneumococcal vaccines:
- Pneumovax: 23- Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV 23)
- Prevnar13: 13- Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13)
In June of 2021, Pfizer received FDA approval for a new pneumococcal conjugate vaccine named Prevnar 20. Prevnar 20 provides pneumococcal protection against the same 13 strains covered in Prevnar 13 and an additional 7 strains. In July of 2021, Merck received approval for their new pneumococcal conjugate vaccine called Vaxneuvance. Vaxneuvance also provides coverage for the same 13 pneumococcal strains as Prevnar13 and an additional 2 strains.
Pneumococcal Vaccines Currently Available:
- Pneumovax: 23- Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV 23)
- Prevnar20: 20-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV20)
- Vaxneuvance: 15-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
- Prevnar13: 13- Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13)
With the addition of these 2 new conjugate pneumococcal vaccines this called for an update to the CDC’s current recommendations for patients 19-64 with underlying health conditions and patients 65 years old and older.
For patients who have never received the pneumococcal vaccine or have an unknown vaccine history
| Age 19-64 With Underlying Medical Conditions* |
Age ≥ 65 |
| Administer 1 dose of PCV20 OR Administer 1 dose of PCV15 followed by 1 dose of PPSV23 administered at least 1 year later**The minimum administration interval of 8 weeks between PCV 15 and PPSV23 is 8 weeks in patients with an immunocompromising condition, cochlear implant, or cerebrospinal fluid leak** |
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| Patients who have received PPSV23 but have not received any pneumococcal conjugate vaccines | |
| Administer 1 dose of PCV15 OR Administer 1 dose of PCV20 **There must be a minimum of 1 year between the date of administration PPSV23 and either PCV** |
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*CDC recommends the pneumococcal vaccine for patients with underlying medical conditions including alcoholism, cerebrospinal fluid leak, chronic heart/liver/lung disease, chronic renal failure, cigarette smoking, cochlear implant, congenital or acquired asplenia, congenital or acquired immunodeficiencies, diabetes, generalized malignancy, HIV infection, Hodgkin disease, iatrogenic immunosuppression, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, nephrotic syndrome, sickle cell disease or other hemoglobinopathies, solid organ transplant
Pneumococcal Vaccine Timing for Adults-February 16, 2022 (cdc.gov)
VAXNEUVANCE™ (Pneumococcal 15-valent Conjugate Vaccine) | HCP Site (merckvaccines.com)
