Do I need an additional dose of PCV20 (Prevnar 20) after having already received PCV13 (Prevnar 13) and PCV20?

No Additional PCV20 Dose Is Needed After Receiving Both PCV13 and PCV20

If you have already received both PCV13 (Prevnar 13) and PCV20 (Prevnar 20), your pneumococcal vaccination series is complete and no additional doses are required. 1, 2, 3

Why No Additional Dose Is Necessary

• PCV20 administration completes the pneumococcal vaccination series in all scenarios—once given, no further pneumococcal vaccines are needed. 1, 2, 3

• The 2023 ACIP guidelines explicitly state that when PCV20 is used in place of any dose of PPSV23, the series is complete and need not be followed by additional pneumococcal vaccines. 1

• PCV20 provides comprehensive coverage against 20 pneumococcal serotypes, including all 13 serotypes in PCV13 plus 7 additional serotypes, making repeat vaccination unnecessary. 2, 4

Understanding the Vaccination Sequence

• The typical sequence is PCV13 first, followed by PCV20 at least 1 year later—this two-dose conjugate vaccine approach completes your protection. 2, 5

• Adults who received PCV13 only are recommended to receive one dose of PCV20 at least 1 year after the PCV13 dose, which then completes the series. 2, 5

• Phase III clinical trials demonstrated that PCV20 is safe and immunogenic in adults previously vaccinated with PCV13, regardless of the interval between doses (ranging from 6 months to 5 years). 2, 6

Common Misconceptions to Avoid

• Do not add PPSV23 (Pneumovax 23) after receiving PCV20—this is unnecessary and not recommended. 2, 5

• Do not seek additional PCV20 doses—unlike PPSV23 which sometimes requires boosters in high-risk populations, PCV20 is a one-time completion dose after PCV13. 2, 3

• The only scenario where additional pneumococcal vaccination might be considered after both PCV13 and PPSV23 (not PCV20) is through shared clinical decision-making for a single dose of PCV20 given ≥5 years after the last dose—but this does not apply to your situation since you already received PCV20. 1, 3

Immunologic Rationale

• Conjugate vaccines like PCV20 provide superior immunologic advantages over polysaccharide vaccines, including T-cell dependent responses and immunologic memory, making repeat dosing unnecessary. 2

• Robust immune responses, including opsonophagocytic antibody responses, were observed 1 month after PCV20 administration regardless of prior pneumococcal vaccination history. 6

• The immunogenicity data from clinical trials showed geometric mean fold rises from baseline ranging from 6.0 to 113.4 for all 20 serotypes in PCV20, demonstrating comprehensive protection. 7

What to Document

• Ensure your vaccination record clearly documents both PCV13 and PCV20 administration with dates to prevent unnecessary future doses. 3

• Your pneumococcal vaccination series is complete—this should be clearly noted in your medical record to avoid confusion at future healthcare encounters. 2, 3