Tetanus as a single vaccine is no longer available in Canada

VRAN is frequently contacted by people who have rejected all or most vaccines for their children, but still worry about their child's susceptibility to tetanus.

Vaccine manufacturer Aventis Pasteur confirmed that on the recommendation of Health Canada, they and other companies no longer produce the single component tetanus vaccine. It is only available as a combination vaccine. The reason? To insure that all children under age 7 are "protected" from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio. Parents are now forced to use either, Quadracel (DTaP + Polio) or Pentacel (DTaP + Polio + Hib). Health Canada has eliminated parental choice in vaccine decision making.

However, the tetanus & diphtheria vaccine (TD-Adsorbed on aluminum phosphate) is available for use in children age 7 and older, and adults not previously vaccinated. The amount of tetanus antigen is the same as in Quadracel & Pentacel This product also contains the mercury based preservative thimerosal. The TD vaccine is not licensed for use in children under age 7 because their "immature immune system requires a higher amount of antigen" and the diphtheria component in this vaccine is too small to mount an adequate immune response. However, if parents want to order the TD-Adsorbed vaccine for younger children, it would hinge on "physician and parental decision".

Health officials have calculated that by removing the availability of single tetanus vaccines, people will be forced to submit to products containing multiple vaccines - a plan that may backfire as indicated by a number of parents who were considering the single tetanus vaccine for their children, but discovering they would be forced to accept multiple vaccines, changed their minds. An emphasis on wound care, is the most essential key to tetanus prevention.