FDA approval of a fourth acellular pertussis vaccine for use among infants and young children

On July 29, 1998, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed North American Vaccine, Inc. (Beltsville, Maryland) to distribute a combined diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP) (Certiva) for the first four doses of the diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccination series administered to infants and children aged 6 weeks-6 years. Certiva is the fourth acellular pertussis vaccine to be licensed for use in infants and young children in the United States.