Turkey adds Wyeth's pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to its National Immunisation Schedule

Turkey has initiated a national immunisation programme (NIP) against pneumococcal disease with Wyeth's Prevenar (pneumococcal saccharide conjugated vaccine, Adsorbed). The vaccine helps protect infants and young children against the seven serotypes causing the majority of pneumococcal disease worldwide. More than 30 countries now include Prevenar in their childhood NIP.

Dr E David McIntosh, Wyeth's medical director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for infectious diseases and vaccines, said: "This important decision by the Turkish government shows a strong commitment to address this urgent and pressing health issue and to reduce child mortality."

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pneumococcal disease causes up to a million deaths in children each year and is the leading vaccine-preventable cause of death in children younger than five years of age worldwide.

Given the significant burden of pneumococcal disease and the demonstrated vaccine efficacy, in March 2007, WHO recommended priority inclusion of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in national childhood immunisation programmes worldwide.

Professor Mehmet Ceyhan, president of the Turkish Infectious Diseases Association, said: "Prevenar in the national immunisation programme in Turkey is an important step to help ensure that our children will be protected against this serious, and potentially life-threatening disease."

Prevenar, the only licensed pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, is now available in more than 90 countries around the world, with more than 200 million doses distributed.