ACIP Votes to Recommend Reduced Rabies Vaccination Series

Posted: June 24, 2009

Added: July 10, 2009 - ACIP Provisional Recommendations for Prevention of Rabies [PDF - 25 KB]

At the June 24, 2009 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting, the rabies working group presented evidence in support of a recommendation to reduce the number of vaccine doses in the human rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) series from 5 to 4 doses. After much discussion, ACIP voted in favor of accepting the recommendation.

This will effectively change the 2008 ACIP recommendations [PDF - 547 KB] for human rabies prevention as follows: the PEP series will consist of the administration of human rabies immune globulin (20IU/kg body weight) on day 0 and 4 doses of vaccine (1ml administered intramuscularly) on days 0, 3, 7, and 14. Formal publication of the recommendations will be forthcoming. Additional information on ACIP, and minutes of past meetings, can be found at the ACIP website.