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CNN Live At Daybreak

New 5-in-1 Vaccine

Aired December 18, 2002 - 05:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A new vaccine for babies promises fewer tears at the doctor's office. The FDA has approved a vaccine that cuts out six of the 20 shots that babies get before age 2.
CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us with more now.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It's called Pediarix, the first five-in-one vaccine to fight childhood diseases. And it couldn't have come at a better time.

In 1980, we used to vaccinate against four diseases. Fast forward 22 years and most children under the age of 2 have received 20 shots to fight against 11 diseases. This will be the first time in fact that five vaccines have been combined into one. It's not the first combination vaccine, think of measles, mumps, rubella and DTP, which is diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. But this vaccine will actually fight against five common childhood diseases. They are diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, also known as pertussis, polio and hepatitis B.

People have been cautiously optimistic about combination vaccines in the past. Is it too much for a baby or a young child to handle? Well those concerns have been dispelled as it appears that the baby or young child can handle this vaccine just fine. There are also concerns that perhaps the vaccine would cross react with one another and those concerns have been dispelled as well.

The best news of all is that the FDA just approved it. It should be on shelves in the next few months and available for your child soon.

Back to you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired December 18, 2002 - 05:47   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A new vaccine for babies promises fewer tears at the doctor's office. The FDA has approved a vaccine that cuts out six of the 20 shots that babies get before age 2.
CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us with more now.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It's called Pediarix, the first five-in-one vaccine to fight childhood diseases. And it couldn't have come at a better time.

In 1980, we used to vaccinate against four diseases. Fast forward 22 years and most children under the age of 2 have received 20 shots to fight against 11 diseases. This will be the first time in fact that five vaccines have been combined into one. It's not the first combination vaccine, think of measles, mumps, rubella and DTP, which is diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. But this vaccine will actually fight against five common childhood diseases. They are diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, also known as pertussis, polio and hepatitis B.

People have been cautiously optimistic about combination vaccines in the past. Is it too much for a baby or a young child to handle? Well those concerns have been dispelled as it appears that the baby or young child can handle this vaccine just fine. There are also concerns that perhaps the vaccine would cross react with one another and those concerns have been dispelled as well.

The best news of all is that the FDA just approved it. It should be on shelves in the next few months and available for your child soon.

Back to you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com