Pentacel Coupons & Prices

If you're searching for a Pentacel coupon, here's what's useful to know upfront: Pentacel is a combination childhood vaccine given by a healthcare provider, so it doesn't work quite like a typical prescription picked up at a pharmacy counter, and its manufacturer doesn't offer a traditional retail savings card for it. Pentacel (DTaP-IPV/Hib) protects infants and young children against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, and invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b disease as part of a four-dose series, and families without coverage may qualify for the federal Vaccines for Children program at no cost. Enter your ZIP above to see today's price and compare what nearby pharmacies and clinics that offer vaccination services charge.

What Is Pentacel and How Does It Work?

Pentacel is a combination vaccine that protects against five diseases in a single series of shots: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), poliomyelitis, and invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). It's FDA-licensed for children 6 weeks through 4 years of age (before the 5th birthday), given as a 4-dose series typically administered at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months.

Pentacel is supplied as a two-component kit: a liquid DTaP-IPV solution is used to reconstitute a freeze-dried (lyophilized) Hib component just before the shot is given by injection into a muscle. Because it must be mixed and administered by a trained healthcare provider, it's given in a clinical setting rather than dispensed for self-administration at home.

Manufacturer Savings Card vs. the Rx.com Cash Price

Unlike many brand-name prescription drugs, Pentacel's manufacturer, Sanofi, does not offer a traditional retail copay savings card for it, since Pentacel isn't filled at a pharmacy counter with a prescription — it's administered by a doctor, clinic, or pharmacy immunizer as part of a well-child visit. There is also no generic version of Pentacel, since it's a biological combination vaccine rather than a small-molecule drug that can be copied by a generic manufacturer.

If you're uninsured, underinsured, or your insurance doesn't fully cover the visit, ask your child's provider whether they qualify for the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, which supplies ACIP-recommended vaccines like Pentacel at no cost to eligible children through participating providers. Enter your ZIP above to compare cash pricing at pharmacies and clinics near you that offer childhood immunizations.

Pentacel vs. Other Childhood Vaccines

Several other vaccines cover some or all of the same diseases as Pentacel, and your child's provider may offer a different combination depending on what's in stock or your child's specific needs. Vaxelis is a hexavalent combination that adds hepatitis B protection to the same diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-polio-Hib coverage. Pediarix combines DTaP, polio, and hepatitis B (but not Hib) and is used for a different dosing schedule. Infanrix is a standalone DTaP vaccine, Hiberix is a standalone Hib vaccine, and Ipol is a standalone inactivated poliovirus vaccine — any of these can be used to build a custom schedule instead of a combination product.

Ask your child's pediatrician which combination fits your child's age, vaccination history, and any doses already received, since switching between products mid-series has its own guidelines.

Safety Information

Pentacel does not carry an FDA boxed warning. It should not be given to a child with a history of a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction to a previous dose or to any vaccine component, a history of encephalopathy within 7 days of a prior pertussis-containing vaccine not explained by another cause, or an unstabilized progressive neurologic disorder.

Providers use extra caution in children who, after a prior dose, had a fever of 40.5°C (105°F) or higher, a hypotonic-hyporesponsive episode (a temporary limp, pale, less-responsive state), persistent crying lasting 3 hours or more, or a seizure within 3 days of vaccination. Guillain-Barré syndrome has been reported in temporal association with tetanus-containing vaccines, and infants born very prematurely may be at higher risk of apnea after injection. This is general information, not medical advice — talk with your child's pediatrician about their specific health history before any vaccination.