(Rotavirus vaccine, live)

Welcome to the Rotarix online training portal

Rotavirus (RV) infection is a common problem in infants and young children

RV is a highly contagious viral infection that can cause vomiting and diarrhoea (AAP, 2007). In the UK, almost every child will have had a RV infection by the age of five (Widdowson et al., 2005; Public Health England, 2014), costing the NHS an estimated £14.8 million every year (Harris et al., 2007).

In 2013, the rotavirus vaccine Rotarix® (rotavirus vaccine, live) was added to the national childhood immunisation schedule and offered to all infants under the age of four months (Green Book, 2013).

The online training portal explained

This website has been designed for use by Healthcare Professionals only. If you are a parent wanting to know more about RV, or any other member of the public, please visit public.gsk.co.uk/products/rotarix

This site consists of a total of five training modules (see links below) that are designed to enable you to learn more about RV gastro-enteritis and how it may be prevented. Each module has a particular focus, key learning objectives and self-assessment tools.

1.Epidemiology, prevention
& management
Prevalence and burden of disease, treatment guidelines and vaccination recommendations
2.Rotavirus disease
Disease causes, transmission, symptoms, incidence, duration, seasonality and virus strains
3.Efficacy
Results from Rotarix® key studies demonstrating proven efficacy of Rotarix® against common strains in healthy and special populations
4.Safety & tolerability
Overall safety profile of Rotarix® (including special populations), information on intussusception and viral shedding
5.Rotarix® particulars
Vaccine information, dosing, administration, adverse events, storage and disposal
Final Quiz
Once you have completed all five modules, click on the start button to take the final quiz.
Start test
HH: Last Updated September 2017: UK/VAC/0011c/13(4)

Prescribing Information: See Summary of Product Characteristics:

Rotarix® Live attenuated rotavirus vaccine (oral).

Composition: Each 1.5 ml dose contains ≥106.0 CCID50 human rotavirus RIX4414 strain (live attenuated).

Uses: Active immunisation of infants aged 6 to 24 weeks, against gastro-enteritis due to rotavirus infection.

Dosage and administration: Two oral doses, given at least 4 weeks apart. First dose to be given from 6 weeks of age and second dose, preferably before age 16 weeks. At latest, course must be completed by 24 weeks. For preterm infants and special populations, see SPC. Rotarix must not be injected.

Side effects: See SPC for full details. Common: diarrhoea, irritability. Serious: intussusception, rectal bleeding.

Contraindications: Hypersensitivity to rotavirus vaccines, history of, or predisposition to intussusception, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) disorder. Postpone in subjects with acute severe febrile illness, diarrhoea or vomiting. See SPC for full details.

Precautions: Gastrointestinal illnesses or growth retardation, any symptoms indicative of intussusception (severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bloody stools, abdominal bloating and/or high fever). Administer with caution to individuals who are immunodeficient or with immunodeficient close contacts as vaccine virus excreted in stools may be transmitted to seronegative individuals. There is a potential risk of apnoea and the need for respiratory monitoring for 48-72h should be considered when administering the primary immunisation series to very premature infants (born ≤ 28 weeks of gestation) and particularly for those with a previous history of respiratory immaturity. The vaccine contains sucrose as an excipient. Patients with rare hereditary problems of fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption or sucrase-isomaltase insufficiency should not take this vaccine. Rotarix should under no circumstances be injected..

Legal category: POM. MA number: EU/1/05/330/009.

Presentation and basic NHS cost: 1.5 ml of oral suspension in a squeezable tube (polyethylene) fitted with a membrane and a tube cap (polypropylene). NHS Cost: £34.76 MA holder: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals s.a., Rue de l’Institut 89 B-1330 Rixensart, Belgium.

For the UK, further information is available from Customer Contact Centre, GlaxoSmithKline, Stockley Park West, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB11 1BT; customercontactuk@gsk.com; Freephone: 0800 221 441. For Ireland, please contact 1800 244 255.

UK/ROT/0001/17
Date of preparation: November 2017,

All adverse events should be reported. Reporting form and information can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard, or search for MHRA yellow card in the Google Play or Apple App store. Adverse event should also be reported to GlaxoSmithKline on 0800 221 441.

Contact Us

For pharmaceutical enquiries on prescription only medicines, please call our UK Customer Contact Centre on 0800 221 441 (or email customercontactuk@gsk.com).
For general enquiries, please call our corporate switchboard on 0208 0475 000.

Medical Information

Adverse event reporting

All adverse events should be reported. Reporting form and information can be found at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard, or search for MHRA yellow card in the Google Play or Apple App store. Adverse event should also be reported to GlaxoSmithKline on 0800221441.
For further information, please contact GSK Medical Information or the Safety Team:

GSK Vaccine Inbound Team

For more information on ordering Rotarix® contact the GSK Vaccine Inbound Team: