Summary
-combination vaccines are good for kids, good for nurses, and good for preventing multiple diseases -unfortunately, they are bad for budgets, since they are proprietary products often replacing single products that are soon or already off patent -in India, where will the money come from to pay for combination vaccines for millions of children covered by the National Immunisation Programme?
Analysis
News of a locally developed pentavalent vaccine just approved in India is making news: diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, Hepatits B and haemophilus influenzae (not the flu) can all be prevented with a combination vaccine called Comvac5. Unfortunately, the article states that the vaccine is not now covered by the Indian national immunization program. Until and if it is, there is not likely to be enough uptake for it for take off. As stated in the article, compared to retail prices paid for newer versions of single vaccines, combos may represent a savings, but compared with off-patent single vaccines purchased under government contracts, it is not likely to be an expense covered any time soon.
