Meningococcal Polysaccharide Diphtheria Toxoid Conjugate Vaccine, Injection

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KEY POINTS

• This medicine is given by injection to provide protection against certain types of meningitis.
• This medicine may cause unwanted side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that are serious, continue, or get worse.
• Tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take.

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What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: vaccine

Generic and brand names: meningococcal polysaccharide diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine, injection; Menactra; Menveo; MCV4; MenACWY

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is given by injection (shots) to provide protection against certain types of meningitis in children and adults.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• An allergic reaction to any medicine or vaccine
• An allergic reaction to latex or thimerosal (a preservative).
• A bleeding disorder or if you take medicines that reduce the chance of blood clots forming
• A weakened immune system from cancer treatment, diseases such as HIV/AIDS, or from taking steroid medicines or medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Guillain-Barré syndrome (a nervous system disorder)

Tell your healthcare provider if you currently have a fever or infection of any kind. Vaccinations should be postponed if you have a moderate to severe infection. If you have a mild cold or other mild infection, you may still be able to get the shot. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.

Females of childbearing age: Talk with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I use it?

These shots are given by your healthcare provider. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends this vaccine for infants age 2 through 23 months only if they have certain high risk conditions. Infants who begin receiving this vaccine at 2 months of age are usually given 4 doses, at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months of age. ACIP also recommends this vaccine for all children age 11 through 18 years. Older children and adults may be given 1 or 2 doses (several months apart), depending your age and medical condition.

Then, depending on your age and medical condition, whether you are at high risk for infection, or if you got a different meningitis vaccine the last time, you may be given a booster shot of this vaccine after several years.

Talk with your healthcare provider about how many doses you need, when you should get them, and if you need booster doses.

What should I watch out for?

Your provider may give this vaccine at the same time as other vaccines. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.

You may get dizzy, weak, or faint after getting this injection. Your provider may advise you to sit or lie down for 15 minutes after you get the shot. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert.

You may have mild problems such as soreness where the shot was given for 1 to 2 days after receiving this vaccine. Contact your healthcare provider if these symptoms last longer or if you feel worse.

If you need emergency care, surgery, lab tests, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you have received this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help.): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): Fever, chills, sudden and severe tiredness or weakness, unusual bruising or bleeding, stopping and starting breathing during sleep; paralysis or numbness in arms or legs.

Other: Tenderness, pain, redness, or a lump on your skin where the shot was given; headache; tiredness; drowsiness; dizziness; irritability; nausea; vomiting; joint or muscle pain; diarrhea; loss of appetite.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• Cancer medicines such as cisplatin, hydroxyurea (Droxia, Hydrea), vinblastine, vincristine (Marqibo), and others
• Corticosteroids such as dexamethasone, hydrocortisone (A-Hydrocort, Cortef), methylprednisolone (Medrol, Solu-Medrol), prednisone (Prednisone Intensol), and others
• Everolimus (Afinitor, Zortress)
• Immunosuppressants such as azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune), mycophenolate (CellCept, Myfortic), and others
• Medicines to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other immune disorders such as adalimumab (Humira), anakinra (Kineret), belimumab (Benlysta), leflunomide (Arava), and others
• Multiple sclerosis medicines such as fingolimod (Gilenya), natalizumab (Tysabri), and teriflunomide (Aubagio)
• Methotrexate (Otrexup, Rasuvo, Rheumatrex, Trexall)
• Radiation therapy

Keep a record of all vaccines received and when you received them.

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.