Pneumonia vaccine gets yes vote for immunocompromised

Uses of the pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine (Prevnar 13) should be expanded to adults with immunocompromising conditions, according to a recent vote by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

The committee voted 14-0 in favor of expanding use to patients 19 and older with compromised immune systems due to conditions such as HIV infection, cancer and advanced kidney disease, Reuters reported last week.

In December 2011, the FDA granted expanded approval of the vaccine to all adults over 50. The ACIP is waiting for results from ongoing trials before developing a recommendation on routine use of the vaccine in adults over 50, according to a press release from Pfizer, the vaccine manufacturer. The recommendations of the ACIP become CDC policy after publication in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.