From the Guidelines
Yes, the meningococcal conjugate vaccine and the Tdap vaccine can be safely administered together during the same visit. There is no need to separate these vaccinations or wait between them. Both vaccines are commonly recommended for adolescents, with Tdap typically given at age 11-12 years and meningococcal conjugate vaccine administered as a two-dose series at ages 11-12 and 16 years. When given together, each vaccine should be administered at a different injection site, typically in separate limbs when possible. Administering these vaccines simultaneously does not diminish the immune response to either vaccine or increase the risk of adverse reactions, as supported by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations 1.
The benefits of co-administration include:
- Increasing the likelihood of completing the recommended immunization schedule
- Reducing the number of healthcare visits needed
- Providing timely protection against these serious diseases The safety and efficacy of administering these vaccines together has been well-established through clinical experience and immunization practices, with no evidence of immunologic blunting between Tdap and MenACWY when either MenACWY-D or MenACWY-CRM is administered following administration of Tdap 1.
Key considerations for administration:
- The vaccines should be administered at different anatomic sites, if feasible
- There is no minimum interval required or advised between receipt of a tetanus toxoid– or diphtheria toxoid– containing vaccine and Tdap when Tdap is otherwise indicated 1
- Health-care personnel administering vaccinations should be aware of the potential for syncope after vaccination, especially among adolescents, and take appropriate measures to prevent potential injuries 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
Among the 8 reported cases of Bell’s palsy, 6 cases occurred in persons who received MENVEO concomitantly with one or more of the following vaccines: Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Adsorbed (Tdap), a human papillomavirus vaccine, and Influenza Vaccine.
The meningococcal and Tdap vaccines can be administered together, as there is evidence of concomitant administration in the drug label 2. However, it is essential to note that there were reported cases of Bell's palsy in individuals who received MENVEO (meningococcal vaccine) concomitantly with Tdap.
From the Research
Meningococcal and Tdap Vaccination
- The meningococcal (Meningococcal Conjugate) vaccine and Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) vaccine can be administered together, as supported by studies on the co-administration of similar vaccines 3, 4.
- A study on the immunogenicity and safety of the quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine MenACWY-TT co-administered with a combined diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccine versus their separate administration in adolescents and young adults found that co-administration was safe and effective 3.
- Another study on the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of co-administered tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) and tetravalent meningococcal conjugate (MCV4) vaccines compared to their separate administration also found that co-administration was well tolerated and immunogenic 4.
Vaccine Administration Guidelines
- The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all individuals ≥10 years of age at increased risk for meningococcal disease receive MenB vaccination, and healthy individuals 16-23 years of age are recommended MenB vaccines based on individual clinical decision-making 5, 6.
- The ACIP also recommends extending the interval for the 2-dose series of MenB-4C from 0 and ≥1 month to 0 and 6 months for healthy adolescents and young adults aged 16-23 years based on shared clinical decision-making 5.
Vaccine Safety and Efficacy
- Studies have shown that the meningococcal and Tdap vaccines are safe and effective when administered separately or together 3, 7, 4.
- The vaccines have been found to elicit a strong immune response against a range of meningococcal serogroups and pertussis antigens, and are generally well tolerated with most adverse reactions being mild to moderate in severity 3, 7.