Vaccine Opportunity Study

Who qualifies for this study?

• Healthy children ages 12-15 months at first visit (can be combined with their 12-month well-child checkup)
• Children who are still eligible to receive their CDC recommended 12-month vaccines: MMR II, Havrix, and Prevnar 13, as well as a Varicella vaccine
• Children who have not had a confirmed case of varicella (chickenpox)

Questions and answers

What is varicella?

Varicella (chickenpox) is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus. Chickenpox is generally considered a mild childhood illness, but it can have serious complications such as secondary bacterial infection and pneumonia.

Why is this research being performed?

The CDC currently recommends a marketed varicella vaccine, Varivax, for children. Some children in this study will receive a new investigational vaccine instead of Varivax. This research compares the safety and effectiveness of the new investigational vaccine, which may provide more options for vaccinating to protect against varicella.