National Immunisation Program pneumococcal changes: Prevenar 20
From 1 September 2025, Prevenar 20 will replace Prevenar 13 and Pneumovax 23 on the childhood and adolescent National Immunisation Program (NIP) schedule.
Routine doses are scheduled at 6 weeks, 4 months and 12 months of age, with an additional dose given for higher risk children at 6 months of age or at diagnosis of the at-risk condition. There is no need to recall a person for ‘catch-up’ if they have already completed their full course of pneumococcal vaccination.
Prevenar 20 is a conjugated vaccine that protects against the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. In addition to the protection against the 13 serotypes covered in Prevenar 13, Prevenar 20 offers protection against serotypes 8, 10A, 11A, 12F, 15B, 22F, 33F.
There are no changes to the adult schedule at this time.
Read more on the program changes via the NIP Fact sheet
Read more about pneumococcal at MVEC: Pneumococcal
For further information and the opportunity to ask questions, please save the date for MVEC's upcoming webinar CVU mini: Pneumococcal update. (Recording now available exclusively for Education Portal members.)
TGA: Varicella vaccine shortages
Immunisation providers should be aware of current shortages of the monovalent varicella vaccines in Australia. This shortage in supply impacts both Varilrix and Varivax. There is no impact to government or NIP stock.
For more information, visit the TGA Medicine shortages report database.
In memory of Prof David Isaacs
The MVEC and SAEFVIC teams are deeply saddened by the passing of Prof David Isaacs.
David was not only a well respected paediatric infectious diseases expert, he was also a fierce defender of the rights and wellbeing of children, and a mentor and friend to many. The MVEC team was honoured to have David as a special guest at our 2019 Clinical Vaccinology Update.
His contributions to vaccine policy as member of ATAGI, PBAC and Polio Expert Panel in support of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative leave a lasting legacy.
Immunisation Coalition: 3rd Primary Care Infectious Diseases (PCID) meeting (hybrid)
The Immunisation Coalition will host its PCID meeting on 25 October 2025 in Brisbane. This is a hybrid event designed for general practitioners, nurse immunisers and pharmacists.
The program features keynote presentations, workshops and panel discussions.
Learn more and register on the Immunisation Coalition event page.
Immunisation Coalition: 2025 Pertussis webinar
The Immunisation Coalition will host its 2025 Pertussis Webinar on 17 September 2025. Moderated by Dr Andrew Minton, the webinar will feature Dr Andrew Baird.
Date: 17 September 2025
Time: 6:00–7:00 pm AEDT
Learn more and register on the Immunisation Coalition event page.
UQ news: Billion-dollar deal takes UQ vaccine tech to the world
Pharmaceutical company Sanofi has acquired the rights to a unique vaccine technology developed by University of Queensland (UQ) scientists.
The Molecular Clamp platform “streamlines vaccine development across different viral families” according to UQ researchers.
Read more on the UQ website.
Benchmarque Group: 2025 Immunisation seminar series
Registrations are now open for Benchmarque Group’s 1-day immunisation seminars, to be held between September and November 2025 in multiple Australian cities.
- Sydney: 4th September
- Melbourne: 17th September
- Gold Coast: 2nd October
- Sunshine Coast: 22nd October
- Brisbane: 29th October
- Hobart 13th November
- Adelaide: 26th November
Learn more and register now on the Benchmarque Group event page.
The Lancet: Bivalent prefusion F vaccination in pregnancy and respiratory syncytial virus hospitalisation in infants in the UK: results of a multicentre, test-negative, case-control study
A recent UK study finds maternal RSV vaccination has reduced the risk of hospitalisation for infants with RSV whose mother received a vaccine during pregnancy, within the recommended time frame.
Maternal vaccinations were introduced in the UK in August to September 2024, for pregnant people from 28 weeks’ gestation.
Read the full Williams TC, Marlow R, Cunningham S et al. article on The Lancet’s Child and Adolescent Health website.
MVEC: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
MVEC on LinkedIn
We are now on LinkedIn! Please follow our page and support us by sharing the news with your network.
AAP FactCheck debunks vaccine misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines
AAP FactCheck has debunked 2 vaccines myths that have been circulating: no, a study did not report that a rise in cancer rates was explained by COVID-19 vaccine mandates; and no, researchers did not find COVID-19 mRNA vaccines killed more people than the virus.
According the to the FactCheck team, posts circulating on social media that imply rising cancer rates are explained by COVID-19 vaccination have no basis. Social media comments linking cancer rates with COVID-19 vaccination have been published in connection with a study on rising bowel cancer rates based on 1990 to 2020 data, well before COVID-19 vaccines were introduced.
Read AAP FactCheck: Study's cancer rate rise not linked to COVID vaccines for a breakdown of why the claim is false.
AAP FactCheck has also debunked online claims that German scientists announced new evidence proving COVID-19 mRNA vaccines killed more people than the virus. The researchers made no such finding.
Read AAP FactCheck: No, German study did not blame mRNA vaccines for excess pandemic deaths for more details.
Go to MVEC: COVID-19 for information about COVID-19 disease, epidemiology and vaccination.