Availability of Varicella Vaccine for Children with Acute
Lymphocytic Leukemia
An investigational, live, attenuated varicella vaccine
continues to be available free of charge through Merck Research
Laboratories (West Point, Pennsylvania) to any physician requesting
it for certain pediatric patients (aged 12 months-17 years) with
acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) (1). However, the source of
information about eligibility criteria and vaccine administration
has changed (1) and is now available from the Varivax Coordinating
Center, Bio-Pharm Clinical Services, Inc., 4 Valley Square, Blue
Bell, PA 19422; telephone (215) 283-0897.
An Investigational New Drug application for the vaccine is on
file with the Food and Drug Administration. Varicella vaccine is
being provided to this group of patients for use through a study
protocol to monitor and evaluate safety. Patients must meet
specified criteria, including no clinical history of varicella and
continuous remission for at least 12 months. The physician must
provide information outlined in the protocol, and the protocol and
consent form for the study must be approved by the institution's
Investigational Review Board.
Reported by: National Immunization Program, CDC.
Reference
CDC. Availability of varicella vaccine for children with acute
lymphocytic leukemia. MMWR 1992;41:326-7.
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