New vaccines for children

Significant changes have recently been made to the UK childhood immunisation schedule to introduce protection against pneumococcal disease and improve protection against Haemophilus influenzae type b and meningococcus group C. From September 2008, a new primary immunisation programme against cervical cancer will be introduced for adolescent girls. In the future, we may see the introduction of licensed rotavirus vaccines against infant gastroenteritis and broader use of varicella, influenza and hepatitis B vaccines. Higher valency meningococcal conjugate vaccines, vaccines against meningococcus group B disease and vaccines against respiratory viruses are available, approaching licensure or in clinical trials in children in the UK.