Saudi Arabia is 35th Prevenar nation

With the introduction of a new national vaccination program in Saudi Arabia, 35 countries now offer routine immunization against pneumococcal  disease with US drug major Wyeth's Prevenar (pneumococcal saccharide  conjugated vaccine, adsorbed), the firm has announced. Prevenar helps  protect children against the leading vaccine-preventable cause of death  in children younger than five years of age worldwide.

Prevenar (also referred to as PCV7), the global standard in pneumococcal  disease prevention for infants and young children, helps protect against  the seven pneumococcal serotypes contained in the vaccine that cause the  majority of pneumococcal disease worldwide. More than 235 million doses  of Prevenar have been distributed across the world since its  introduction.

"Wyeth is pleased that 35 countries now share in the commitment to help  protect current and future generations from pneumococcal disease - an  urgent and pressing health issue. As a result, nearly 15 million  children born this year will have the benefit of protection with  Prevenar," David McIntosh, Wyeth's medical director for infectious  disease and vaccines in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.