
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 31, 1993                   TAG: 9303310044
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

COMBINATION VACCINE OK'D FOR INFANTS

The Food and Drug Administration approved a combination vaccine Tuesday that will spare infants four of the shots they now must get.

The vaccine developed by Lederle-Praxis Biologicals will protect infants against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis as well as haemophilus b, the leading cause of meningitis.

The new vaccine, called Tetramune, will be administered in four shots at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and 15 months.

Old vaccines required four separate shots for DTP and four for haemophilus b at those same ages. They also need oral polio vaccine as well as shots for measles-mumps-rubella and hepatitis B.

by CNB