Meningitis vaccine update
Our editorial Sept. 7 urged young people in certain age groups to receive the meningitis vaccine but noted that supplies of Menactra are scarce.
I wanted to update some information.
The editorial stated that the manufacturer of Menactra, Sanofi Pasteur, planned to produce 5 million doses this year but would not substantially increase that output until a new plant comes on line in 2008. Spokesman John Abrams contacted me yesterday to report that production will increase to 6 million doses next year and 7 million in 2007.
I hope that leads to more young people receiving this protection against a potentially deadly disease.