Unapproved meningitis vaccine now being used at 2nd US university
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Swiss drug maker Novartis says a second U.S. university is using its new vaccine against meningitis B.
Novartis said Monday that the vaccine, Bexsero, is being used at the University of California Santa Barbara until March 7 to help protect 20,000 students and staff after an outbreak.
The vaccine shot for the B strain of the meningitis bacteria is approved for use in Europe, Australia and Canada, but not yet for general use in the United States.
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But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has now approved the use of Bexsero twice in response to outbreaks at U.S. college campuses. It is the first vaccine against the B strain of meningitis.
Princeton University says almost 5,300 people got the vaccine last year in an effort to halt an outbreak there.