IAP Immunization Schedule 2016: Key updates & major changes

MMR and MMRV vaccines

a) Three doses of MMR at 9 months, 15 months, and between 4-6 years
b) No stand alone measles dose at 9 months
c) MMRV is approved for use at 4-6 years of age only

Polio immunization

a) The 'alternative' two-dose schedule of 8 and 16 weeks for IPV to be preferred over 3-dose schedule for primary immunization
b) A full dose of IM-IPV for children who had already received 2 ID-fIPV doses at 6 and 14 weeks or single dose of IM-IPV at 14 weeks
c) An interval of at least 8 weeks to be maintained between the additional dose and the last dose of ID or IM-IPV
d) No change in the booster dose schedule of IPV, and OPV immunization schedule

Typhoid immunization

a) PedaTyph®, the other typhoid conjugate vaccine is now approved for prevention of typhoid fever in children
b) Both the typhoid conjugate vaccines, i.e. Typbar-TCV® and PedaTyph® to have the same administrative schedule
c) Typhoid conjugate vaccine to be preferred over Vi-polysaccharide vaccine for both booster dose and catch-up vaccination
d) No change in the booster recommendations
e) Additional updates on typhoid conjugate vaccines provided

Japanese encephalitis vaccination

a) The recommended age for Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccination raised to 18 years in endemic regions

Varicella vaccines

a) A review along with grading of the available brands of monovalent varicella vaccine presented
b) All the available vaccine brands are approved for use in pediatric population for prevention of varicella
c) Varilrix® and Variped® score over other brands as far as the evidence on efficacy and safety is concerned

Other updates and changes

a) A brief update on the new dengue vaccine, CYD-TDV (Dengvaxia®) is offered
b) A new accreditation policy for evaluation of different brands of a licensed vaccine in the country is announced
c) The comments and footnotes for several vaccines are also updated and revised.