• Chickenpox: The use of Varivax, introduced in 1995, continues to rise as parents come to understand that chickenpox can have serious, life-threatening complications.
• Measles, mumps and rubella: M-M-R II, the combination vaccine for the prevention of measles, mumps and rubella, will mark its 30th anniversary in 2001. The vaccine has been administered to children in more than 50 countries since its introduction in 1971. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that between 1971 and 1996, M-M-R II has prevented some 25,000 deaths and saved nearly $35 billion in medical costs.
• Haemophilus influenzae type b: PedvaxHIB helps prevent Haemophilus influenzae type b infection, one of the leading invasive bacterial infections for children under age 5. Comvax, introduced in 1997, is the first combination vaccine to prevent both Haemophilus influenzae type b and hepatitis B infections. Combining vaccines often helps simplify the large-scale vaccination of children and increases the likelihood that they get all the shots required.
• Hepatitis A: Vaqta, introduced in 1996, prevents hepatitis A by countering a highly contagious virus that attacks the liver. Some 200,000 Americans are infected with hepatitis A each year.
• Hepatitis B: Introduced in 1986, Recombivax HB is the world’s first genetically engineered vaccine for human use. In 1991, the World Health Organization called for all children to receive the hepatitis B vaccine, prompting many nations to add hepatitis B vaccine to their routine immunization programs. Unfortunately, children in the poorest nations, those who need the vaccine most, often do not receive it. We are striving to help remedy this situation by donating 5 million doses of Recombivax HB to the governments of these countries.
• Pneumococcal disease: Pneumovax 23 helps prevent pneumococcal disease, which causes more deaths – about 40,000 per year in the United States, alone – than any other vaccine-preventable bacterial disease.

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