IPV Vaccine Supply Shortage

We are advising you that a supply shortage of Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) has recently been reported for the province of Ontario. Additional IPV stock is expected to be available from the Ministry of Health in late spring 2026. Currently, Hamilton has a limited supply of IPV vaccine product.

For the duration of this shortage, for individuals who require exclusively polio vaccination (IPV), Tdap-IPV can be used instead. We encourage you to offer Tdap-IPV to patients where appropriate in the absence of IPV.

Please take note of the following key points when administering Tdap-IPV:

• Please review the age and vaccination history of the individual and ensure that another polio-containing vaccine is not more appropriate
  • i.e. for children under the age of 7 review whether vaccination with DTaP-IPV-Hib (Pentacel/Pediacel) is more appropriate
  • Please consult the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule for more information
• Where administering Tdap-IPV for the sole purpose of polio immunization, there is no minimum interval between a previous dose of tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis containing vaccine and extra doses are considered safe. However, where completing a catch-up vaccination schedule for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis and or/for subsequent doses of polio containing vaccine, please refer to the appropriate catch-up schedules and Table 22 in the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule.

If you have already placed an order for IPV, Hamilton Public Health will continue to fill them until our stock is depleted. If you place an order once we are out of stock, a representative from our Public Health team will contact you directly. Hamilton Public Health will issue an updated communication once IPV orders can be resumed.

If you have any questions, please email Public Health at [email protected].