Availability of new rabies vaccine for human use

On October 20, 1997, the Food and Drug Administration licensed a new rabies vaccine for both pre-exposure and postexposure prophylactic use in humans. This purified chick embryo cell culture (PCEC) vaccine (RabAvert) is manufactured by Chiron Behring GmbH and Company. The addition of PCEC to the current products available for pre-exposure and postexposure prophylactic use in humans allows for greater flexibility in treatment choices for the vaccination candidate who develops a sensitivity to one of the other available vaccines. Although derived from chick embryo cells, antibodies to chick cell proteins were not detected in recipients of the vaccine.