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Before Using
In deciding to use a vaccine, the risks of taking the vaccine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this vaccine, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids Vaccine for Pediatric Use in children 7 years of age and older. Safety and efficacy have not been established.
Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of Decavac® vaccine in children younger than 7 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established.
Geriatric
Although appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of Decavac® vaccine have not been performed in the geriatric population, no geriatric-specific problems have been documented to date.
Pregnancy
| Pregnancy Category | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|
| All Trimesters | C | Animal studies have shown an adverse effect and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women OR no animal studies have been conducted and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women. |
Breastfeeding
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Drug Interactions
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
Other Interactions
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this vaccine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Allergic reaction to a tetanus vaccine (eg, Arthus-type reaction) or
- Guillain-Barré syndrome (nerve disease that causes paralysis) after a tetanus vaccine, history of—Your doctor will decide if you should receive this vaccine.
- Immunodeficiency disorder (low blood counts for white cells or platelets) or
- Weakened immune system—May not work as well in patients with these conditions.
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