Two New Combo Vaccines Approved

Two new combination vaccines designed to reduce the number of needle pokes children must suffer to get the recommended immunizations has been recently approved by a USDA. A four-in-one shot made by GlaxoSmithKline offers protection against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio and costs $45 and is adminstered to preschool-aged children once.

The second combo shot is Sanofi Pasteur's five-in-one shot for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and illness due to Haemophilus influenzae type b, or HiB. It costs about $69. Toddlers will get 4 doses by age 2.

These combo shots do not change the recommended vaccine schedule, just the number of pokes a toddler receives.