The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a vaccine that treats five childhood ailments in a single dose. Pentacel would reduce the number of injections children get before they are 18 months old by as many as one-third.

It is the first 5-in-1 pediatric combination for immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). The vaccine is approved for administration as a four-dose series at two, four, six and 15 to 18 months of age. The first dose may be given as early as six weeks of age.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends up to 23 injections by the time a child reaches 18 months of age with a single-entity vaccine.

However, the use of the Pentacel vaccine could reduce that number of shots by seven, said Wayne Pisano, president and chief executive officer of manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur in a press release. The vaccine was clinically tested among more than 5,000 children. Adverse reactions included injection site redness, swelling, fever, fussiness, and crying.

More than 14 million doses of Pentacel have been distributed in Canada since 1997. Pentacel is expected to be available for distribution in the U.S. this summer.