Under India's Universal Immunization Programme, the Open Vial Policy (OVP) specifies that an opened vial of OPV can be reused for up to 4 weeks provided certain conditions are met. Which of the following vaccines is EXCLUDED from the Open Vial Policy?

• A OPV
• B Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine ✓
• C Hepatitis B (HBV) vaccine
• D Pentavalent vaccine

Explanation

The Open Vial Policy applies to multi-dose vials of OPV, HBV, liquid pentavalent, and PCV. MR (measles-rubella) vaccine is a LYOPHILIZED (freeze-dried) vaccine that must be reconstituted before use and once opened must be discarded within 4–6 hours (or by end of session), not held over to subsequent sessions. This is because reconstituted live attenuated viral vaccines rapidly lose potency and pose contamination risk. Reconstituted vaccines (BCG, MR, JE, varicella) are all excluded from the Open Vial Policy.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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