FDA weighs updated kids’ pneumococcal shot

updated 1:54 p.m. ET Nov. 16, 2009

WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration is weighing whether to approve an updated version of Pfizer's best-selling anti-infection vaccine for children, despite company studies that failed to meet certain goals.

The Prevnar 13 vaccine reduces risk of infection by 13 varieties of pneumococcal disease, which causes ear infections, meningitis and pneumonia. The new version of the vaccine protects against six more varieties of the disease.

But FDA reviewers say in online documents that company studies failed to meet effectiveness goals for three types of pneumococcal disease.

The FDA will ask a panel of outside vaccine experts to weigh in on the results at a meeting Wednesday. The agency is not required to follow the group's advice, though it usually does.

Also in msnbc.com Health   Air ambulances leave some with sky-high bills   Docs airlift toddler with 42 needles stuck in him Looks buy happiness, but only in the city | Poll Kidney chain donors, patients meet |   Slide show   Animal Tracks: Eye candy for animal lovers

MORE FROM KIDS AND PARENTING

Kids and parenting Section Front

11 baby deaths now linked to Simplicity cribs Day care workers accused of drugging kids 50 million shades recalled for strangulation risk Study: Drop in pot use among teens levels off NYT: Building a baby, with few ground rules After crash, orphans torn between countries Holiday treats a tempting trap for heavy kids Mozart’s music may help preemies gain weight Letters to Santa full of chuckles, but also tears Celebrating the holidays when Mom or Dad are deployed Kids and parenting Section Front   Add Kids and parenting headlines to your news reader: