With nonprofit MassBiologics discontinuing production of tetanus vaccines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention anticipates a shortage of the shots in the U.S. later this year. Sanofi becomes the lone supplier of tetanus vaccines for the U.S. It’s time to add another vaccine to the shortage list in the U.S. as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged healthcare providers to conserve their supply of tetanus shots. Meanwhile, the other manufacturer of tetanus shots for the U.S., Sanofi, “is taking steps to augment their available supply,” the CDC said. The CDC has installed temporary controls on the “public and private sectors” on ordering the vaccines, it said, “to help manage the gap in supply.”
Tdap vaccines available in the U.S. are Sanofi’s Adacel and GSK’s Boostrix. The shots are more expensive than Td vaccines but have increased in popularity, while sales of Td shots have declined. Tetanus is a virus caused by bacteria Clostridium, which is often found in soil. The bacteria can cause muscle contractions, especially in the neck and mouth, also referred to a “lockjaw.” In recent months, the CDC also has dealt with a shortage of a new immunization to combat respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Called Beyfortus, the antibody from partners Sanofi and AstraZeneca is the lone RSV immunization in the U.S. for infants.