IAC Express 2011 |
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Issue number 917: March 14, 2011 |
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as well as other FREE IAC periodicals. |
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Contents
of this Issue
Select a title to jump to the article. |
- U.S.
Supreme Court rules in favor of vaccine
manufacturers
- IAC updates three immunization schedules for the
public--one about babies, one about children and teens,
and a third about 11-19-year-olds
- Spotlight on immunize.org: where you'll find links to
local and state immunization coalitions
- National Infant Immunization Week to be observed April
23-30; CDC offers resources
- CDC publishes best practices on the use of PCR testing
for pertussis diagnosis
- IAC's Video of the Week offers training on obtaining
specimens for pertussis testing
- New report from Children's Hospitals and Clinics of
Minnesota explores ways to improve the immunization rates
of Minnesota's children and teens
- CDC
offers the 2011 immunization schedules in new formats
- 5 more U.S. children died from complications of influenza
the first week of March, so please keep vaccinating!
- MMWR reports on two cases of Japanese encephalitis in
children in the United States
- Award-winning DVD! "Immunization Techniques: Best
Practices with Infants, Children, and Adults"--from the
California Department of Public Health, Immunization
Branch
- IAC corrects information in its article about the mobile
devices for which "Shots 2011" software is currently
available
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| Abbreviations |
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AAFP, American Academy of Family Physicians; AAP,
American Academy of Pediatrics; ACIP, Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices; AMA, American Medical Association; CDC, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention; FDA, Food and Drug Administration; IAC, Immunization
Action Coalition; MMWR, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report; NCIRD,
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; NIVS, National
Influenza Vaccine Summit; VIS, Vaccine Information Statement; VPD,
vaccine-preventable disease; WHO, World Health Organization. |
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Issue 917: March 14, 2011 |
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1. |
U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of vaccine manufacturers
On Tuesday, February 22, the Supreme Court of the
United
States ruled in Bruesewitz v. Wyeth that manufacturers of
childhood vaccines cannot be sued by individuals who claim
that they suffered vaccine-related injuries as a result of
an alleged "design defect" in the vaccine (i.e., a theory
that a manufacturer should have distributed a vaccine
designed differently from the one that the child received).
In that case, the parents of Hannah Bruesewitz claimed that
her residual seizure disorder was caused by her vaccination
with a whole-cell DTP vaccine. The parents argued that Wyeth
should be liable for distributing the whole-cell vaccine
because, they claimed, a split-cell or acellular DTP vaccine
would not have caused the injuries. The U.S. Supreme Court
ruled that Congress had preempted such design defect claims
as part of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986
(the "Vaccine Act").
In a 6-2 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the Vaccine
Act only allows suits against vaccine manufacturers for
vaccine-related injuries where the injuries are claimed to
result from an improper manufacturing process or from the
manufacturer's failure to provide adequate warnings and
directions. Justice Scalia, writing for the Court, held that
allegations that the injury would have been avoided by a
differently designed vaccine cannot be a basis of liability,
under the plain language of the Vaccine Act. Justice Breyer
concurred, noting that permitting tort suits based on design
defect claims would "undermine" a basic purpose of the
Vaccine Act by threatening a resurgence of the litigation
crisis of the 1980s that prompted Congress to pass the Act.
That, in turn, would jeopardize the future production and
development of childhood vaccines. Justice Elena Kagan
recused herself because, during her tenure as Solicitor
General, her office filed an amicus brief for the United
States recommending that the Supreme Court accept the
Bruesewitz case for review, and rule on the merits in
Wyeth's favor.
The Vaccine Act includes a "no fault" vaccine compensation
program that allows individuals claiming an injury from
childhood vaccines, or their representatives, to file a
petition for compensation in a specialized office within the
U.S. Court of Federal Claims ("Vaccine Court"). Compensation
decisions depend only upon a showing that a childhood
vaccine caused the injury; no showing need be made that the
manufacturer was somehow at fault, or that the vaccine was
defective. This simplified compensation system is funded by
an excise tax that manufacturers pay on each dose of vaccine
that is administered. Hannah Bruesewitz's claim was
initially brought in the compensation program, but was
denied by the Vaccine Court, which found that her injuries
were not caused by her immunization.
To access the text of the full Supreme Court decision, go
to: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/09-152.pdf
To access an American Academy of Pediatrics press release
about the Supreme Court decision, go to:
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/washing/AAPPressReleaseBruesewitzRuling_2_22_11.pdf
To access a New York Times article about the Supreme Court
decision, go to:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/business/23bizcourt.html
IAC thanks Daniel J. Thomasch, attorney at law, Orrick,
Herrington and Sutcliffe LLP, for writing this article for
IAC Express.
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2. |
IAC updates three immunization schedules for the public--one about babies,
one about children and teens, and a third about 11-19-year-olds
IAC recently revised the following three handouts
related to
vaccine schedules for the general public.
(1) IAC made minor edits to "Immunizations for Babies--A
Guide for Parents."
Go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4010.pdf
(2) IAC updated "When Do Children and Teens Need
Vaccinations?" to include revised recommendations regarding
Tdap and meningococcal vaccination.
Go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4050.pdf
(3) IAC updated "Are you 11-19 years old? Then you need to
be vaccinated against these serious diseases!" to include
revised recommendations regarding Tdap and meningococcal
vaccination.
Go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4020.pdf
IAC's Handouts for Patients and Staff web section offers
healthcare professionals and the public approximately 250
FREE English-language handouts (many also available in
translation), which we encourage website users to print out,
copy, and distribute widely. To access all of IAC's free
handouts, go to: http://www.immunize.org/handouts
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3. |
Spotlight on immunize.org: where you'll find links to local and state
immunization coalitions
Looking for information online about local and
state
immunization coalitions? Look no further. The Immunization
Coalitions Websites section on immunize.org is the newest
addition to IAC's online compendium of immunization
resources. For each coalition listed, you'll find a link to
the group's website.
To access the Immunization Coalitions Websites section, go
to: http://www.immunize.org/resources/coalitions-websites.asp
If you have an immunization coalition website that isn't
already listed on the coalitions section and you would like
us to add it, please email maryq@immunize.org
In addition, IAC maintains a database of immunization
coalitions on a dedicated website: www.izcoalitions.org This
website provides access to information about local, state,
regional, national, and international immunization
coalitions. To search the database or add your coalition,
visit www.izcoalitions.org
If you notice that information about your coalition is
incorrect and you do not know the user name or password,
contact admin@izcoalitions.org
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4. |
National Infant Immunization Week to be observed April 23-30; CDC offers
resources
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is an
annual
observance to promote the benefits of immunizations and to
improve the health of children two years old or younger.
NIIW is part of a broad global initiative with the World
Health Organization Regions of the Americas, European,
Eastern Mediterranean, Western Pacific, and Africa to
promote vaccination through education and communication
activities. Since 1994, NIIW has served as a call to action
for parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers to ensure
that infants are fully immunized against vaccine-preventable
diseases.
This year, NIIW will be observed April 23-30. CDC has
launched a 2011 NIIW web section that includes resources for
planning a successful NIIW and descriptions of related
activities and events around the nation. You can submit
information about your organization's NIIW activities via a
link on the site.
To access CDC NIIW web section, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/index.html
Already have plans for your local or state NIIW event?
Notify CDC of your plans by completing the NIIW activity
form, which can be found at
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/activities/activity-form.html
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5. |
CDC publishes best practices on the use of PCR testing for pertussis
diagnosis
CDC has published a compilation of best practices
to help
healthcare professionals optimize the use of Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR) testing for pertussis by avoiding some
of the more common pitfalls leading to inaccurate results.
With the continuing resurgence of pertussis, healthcare
professionals will see more patients with suspected
pertussis. PCR is an important tool for timely diagnosis of
pertussis and is increasingly available to clinicians. PCR
is a molecular technique used to detect DNA sequences of the
Bordetella pertussis bacterium and unlike culture, does not
require viable (live) bacteria present in the specimen.
Despite these advantages, PCR can give results that are
falsely-negative or falsely-positive. Following the best
practices for whom to test, when to test, collection
techniques, and preventing contamination of clinical
specimens with DNA from pertussis vaccines will better
ensure that accurate test results that reliably inform
patient diagnosis are obtained.
To access "Best Practices for Health Care Professionals on
the use of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for Diagnosing
Pertussis," go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/clinical/downloads/diagnosis-pcr-bestpractices.pdf
For information from CDC on pertussis diagnostic testing, go
to:
http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/clinical/diagnostic-testing/index.html
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6. |
IAC's Video of the Week offers training on obtaining specimens for pertussis
testing
IAC encourages healthcare professionals to watch
two
4-minute videos on how to properly obtain specimens for
pertussis testing.
Determining who has pertussis can be difficult. Whenever
possible, a nasopharyngeal swab or aspirate should be
obtained from all persons with suspected cases. CDC offers
two videos (4 minutes each) that demonstrate how to properly
obtain and transport pertussis specimens by the swab and
aspiration methods. Both videos are available in English and
Spanish.
The link to these videos will be available on the home page
of IAC's website through March 20. To access it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org and click on the image under the
words Video of the Week. After March 20, you will still be
able to access the videos directly from CDC's web page at
http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/clinical/diagnostic-testing/specimen-collection.html
Remember to bookmark IAC's home page to view a new video
every Monday. To view an IAC Video of the Week from the
past, go to the video archive at http://www.immunize.org/votw
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7. |
New report from Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota explores ways
to improve the immunization rates of Minnesota's children and teens
On March 8, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of
Minnesota
released a white paper titled "Check-Up 2: Vaccinations and
the Challenges Confronting Minnesota Children," that
explores the issues surrounding child and teen immunization
in Minnesota.
As in other parts of the nation, immunization rates continue
to be affected by poverty and the resulting disparities in
care. Another issue having a negative impact on immunization
rates is the convergence of complacence about disease risk
and misinformation about the safety and efficacy of
vaccination. The white paper explores both the issues
affecting immunization rates, and ways to improve coverage.
To access the report, go to:
http://www.childrensmn.org/web/voice4child/197148.pdf
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8. |
CDC
offers the 2011 immunization schedules in new formats
CDC has added some new choices of formats for the
2011
immunization schedules to its website for children and
adults. These include pocket-sized versions of the schedules
as well as 11 x 17 versions.
To access new formats of the childhood schedule, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/child-schedule.htm#other
To access new formats of the adult schedule, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/adult-schedule.htm#hcp
For CDC's main page for the 2011 immunization schedules, go
to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules
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9. |
5
more U.S. children died from complications of influenza the first week of March,
so please keep vaccinating!
CDC reported 5 influenza-associated pediatric
deaths for the
week ending March 5, for a total of 60 confirmed influenza-associated pediatric deaths so far this season. Remember,
influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone age 6
months and older, so please keep vaccinating your patients.
If you don't have influenza vaccine, you can direct patients
to the Google Flu Vaccine Finder. It helps the public find
nearby locations where influenza vaccine is available. It's
as simple as entering a zip code. Visit the Google Flu
Vaccine Finder: http://www.google.com/flushot
Following is a list of resources related to influenza
disease and vaccination for healthcare professionals and the
public.
To access IAC's handouts related to influenza, including
screening questionnaires, patient education pieces, and
sample standing orders, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/handouts/influenza-vaccines.asp
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10. |
MMWR reports on two cases of Japanese encephalitis in children in the United
States
CDC published "Japanese Encephalitis in Two
Children--United
States, 2010" in the March 11 issue of MMWR. A summary made
available to the press is reprinted below.
This report describes two cases of Japanese encephalitis
that were reported to CDC in 2010. Japanese encephalitis
(JE) is a mosquito-borne disease that occurs in Asia and the
western Pacific region. Cases among persons who have
traveled or lived overseas are infrequently diagnosed in the
United States. Although uncommon in travelers, the disease
can be serious. Health care providers should advise
travelers to JE-endemic countries of the risk of JE virus
infection and the importance of personal protective measures
to prevent mosquito bites. In addition, JE vaccine should be
considered for some travelers who will be in a high-risk
setting. JE should be considered in the differential
diagnosis in a patient with an acute neurological infection
recently returned from a JE-endemic country.
To access the full article, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6009a3.htm
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11. |
Award-winning DVD! "Immunization Techniques: Best Practices with Infants,
Children, and Adults"--from the California Department of Public Health,
Immunization Branch
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH),
Immunization Branch, has updated its award-winning training
video, "Immunization Techniques: Best Practices with
Infants, Children, and Adults." The 25-minute program can be
used to train new employees and to refresh the skills of
experienced staff. The video demonstrates the skills and
techniques needed to administer vaccines to patients of all
ages. It includes instruction on the following:
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Selecting, preparing, and administering injectable, oral,
and nasal vaccines
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Documenting immunizations
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Making patients comfortable and educating them
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Facilitating staff and patient communication
Prices start at $17 each for 1-9 copies and are greatly
reduced for large orders, dropping to $3 each for 1,000-1,499 copies.
To learn more about the DVD, and find out how to order it,
go to: http://www.immunize.org/shop/toolkit_iztechdvd.asp
For quotes on larger quantities, call (651) 647-9009 or
email admininfo@immunize.org
The Immunization Action Coalition is the only nationwide
vendor of this new DVD.
Note for healthcare settings located in California: Contact
your local health department immunization program for a free
copy.
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12. |
IAC corrects information in its article about the mobile devices for which
"Shots 2011" software is currently available
On February 28, IAC published an IAC Express
article that
incorrectly stated that the "Shots 2011" quick-reference
guides to the adult immunization schedule and the child,
teen, and catch-up immunization schedules are currently
available for iPhones and iPods (on iTunes store), and
Android devices. The correct information is that "Shots
2011" is currently available only for Palm-OS handhelds and
Pocket-PC handhelds.
According to information on the website of the Group on
Immunization Education of the Society of Teachers of Family
Medicine, "Shots 2011" software will "coming soon" for
iPhones and iPods, and Android devices. IAC will notify IAC
Express readers when this happens.
IAC regrets the error and any confusion it may have caused
IAC Express readers.
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