Error in Vaccine Article

Dear Editor,

In your March/April 2009 issue, the article about immunizations and pregnancy contained one piece of misinformation. On page 100 the authors state that live virus vaccines cannot be given simultaneously but must be given 4 weeks apart. That is incorrect. Live virus vaccines should be given simultaneously (on the same day), or if not given on the same day then there must be 28 days between 2 live virus vaccines. It is correct that if the vaccines are not given on the same day and there is less than 28 days between the doses, the vaccine given second is the one that needs to be repeated (at least 28 days after the second vaccine was given). This is contained in the 10th edition (2008) of the CDC's Pink Book Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases.

Karol Clement, RN