Pentacel

Pentacel is a combination vaccine used to prevent a number of potentially serious diseases, including diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type b. It comes in a series of four injections and is often given as part of a routine childhood vaccination schedule, usually at the ages of 2, 4, 6, and 15 to 18 months.

Pentacel Vaccine Information

What Is Pentacel?

Pentacel^® (DTaP, inactivated polio vaccine, and Hib vaccine) is a childhood vaccine. It is a combined vaccine that provides protection against the following diseases:

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
Polio
Diphtheria
Tetanus
Pertussis (whooping cough).

(Click Pentacel Uses for more information on what the medication is used for, including possible off-label uses.)

Thimerosal Content and Other Concerns

Pentacel does not contain thimerosal (a mercury-containing preservative). Parents who are concerned about exposing their children to thimerosal can be confident that this vaccine has no thimerosal (not even trace amounts). Some parents are concerned about the aluminum content of vaccines; Pentacel does contain aluminum (0.33 mg per dose).

Some parents are concerned about the use of human or animal components in vaccines. Part of this vaccine is grown in a cell line derived from an aborted human fetus. This cell line is grown using calf serum.

Who Makes Pentacel?

Pentacel is made by Sanofi Pasteur, Inc.

Pentacel Article Continues on Next Page >