Hot Topics: Adjuvants
Aluminum salts
Aluminum salts were the only adjuvants licensed for use in the United States before 2009. They include aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate and potassium aluminum sulfate (alum). Aluminum salts were found initially to enhance immune responses after immunization with diphtheria and tetanus vaccines in studies performed in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. The safety of aluminum has been established by experience over the past 70 years with hundreds of millions of people inoculated with aluminum-containing vaccines. Adverse reactions include redness or nodules at the site of injection. Learn more about aluminum and vaccines »
Squalene
In 2009 a new adjuvant, squalene, was introduced in the United States. Squalene is used in the HPV vaccine known as CERVARIX®. However, this adjuvant was not new to the world as it had been used in Europe. Learn more about squalene »
Reviewed by: Paul A. Offit, MD
Date: October 2011
Materials in this section are updated as new information and vaccines become available. The Vaccine Education Center staff regularly reviews materials for accuracy.
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