Issue 994: May 15, 2012

TOP STORIES

IAC HANDOUTS

VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENTS

JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS

CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS



TOP STORIES

New: May 2012 issue of Needle Tips is now online
The May 2012 issue of Needle Tips is now online. This issue presents an array of materials that healthcare professionals can rely on to vaccinate people of all ages. Readers will find the two recently published 2012 U.S. immunization schedules, one for children/teens and one for adults; a tribute to retiring CDC immunization expert William Atkinson, MD, MPH; a new handout for patients to help them find old immunization records, and much more.

The issue also includes the "Ask the Experts" column from CDC medical epidemiologist Andrew T. Kroger, MD, MPH; nurse educator Donna L. Weaver, RN, MN; medical officer Iyabode Akinsanya-Beysolow, MD, MPH; and medical epidemiologist William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH.

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CDC publishes guidance for vaccinating children during the 2012 Pentacel and Daptacel shortage
On May 11, CDC published Guidance for Vaccinating Children during the 2012 Pentacel and Daptacel Shortage. The four-page document comprises a page of general information, two pages of sample schedules for completing the series using various single-antigen and combination vaccines, and a page of links to reference materials. The page of general information is reprinted below.

Guidance for Vaccinating Children during the 2012 Pentacel and Daptacel Shortage

Sanofi Pasteur’s Pentacel (DTaP-IPV/Hib) and Daptacel (DTaP) are expected to be in short supply throughout the summer of 2012. Practices using these vaccines may need to find alternatives during the shortage.

Providers should continue to follow the recommended immunization schedule and ensure that patients receive all recommended doses of DTaP, Hib, and polio vaccines.

Vaccines for Children (VFC) providers should contact their state or local immunization program for guidance about ordering vaccines.

Options include [the following]

  • Using DTaP, IPV, and Hib vaccines to complete a series begun with Pentacel. There is a sufficient supply of these products to meet the anticipated demand.
     
  • Other combination vaccines containing DTaP and Hib vaccines may also be used to complete the series.
Considerations when changing vaccine products
  • The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends using the same brand of vaccine for all doses of a vaccination series, when feasible. If providers do not know or do not have available the brand of vaccine previously administered, another brand may be used.
     
  • With the exception of Hiberix, which is licensed only for use as the last dose (booster) in the Hib series, Hib vaccines are interchangeable. If different brands of a vaccine require different numbers of doses, use the higher number when mixing brands. The Hib vaccine component in Pentacel is licensed as a four-dose series.
Additional vaccine information and sample schedules using single component and combination vaccines for children who have already received one, two, or three doses of Pentacel are available.

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CDC's "Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases 2012" course now in web-on-demand format
The "Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases 2012" course is now available as an 11-module web-on-demand series. Updated annually to provide the latest recommendations from ACIP, the course presents the most current information in the constantly changing field of immunization. Each of the 11 modules has a run time of 70 to 90 minutes and includes case studies and a discussion of frequently asked questions. Continuing education credit is available.

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IAC HANDOUTS

IAC updates standing orders for administering HPV and Tdap/Td vaccines to adults
IAC recently updated Standing Orders for Administering Human Papillomavirus Vaccine to Adults and Standing Orders for Administering Tdap/Td to Adults (formerly titled Standing Orders for Administering Td/Tdap to Adults). The revisions reflect changes CDC recently made to its vaccine recommendations.

Related Link
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VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENTS

IAC posts newly updated VIS for MMR vaccine in seven languages
IAC recently posted the VIS for MMR vaccine in these seven languages: Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Somali, and Vietnamese.
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CDC makes minor wording change in its recently published VIS for MMR vaccine
On May 3, CDC sent the following notice about its recently published VIS for MMR vaccine, which was released on April 20.

A minor change has been made in the recently published MMR VIS. The sentence in Section 2 that originally read, "Some infants younger than 12 months should get a dose of MMR if they are traveling overseas" has been changed to the more correct, "Some infants younger than 12 months should get a dose of MMR if they are traveling out of the country."

The updated version has been posted on CDC's VIS webpage. The edition date (4/20/12) has NOT changed. Providers who have already printed the unmodified version may still use it. Others, please download and use the updated version.


IAC Express editor's note: The VIS for MMR vaccine that IAC posted has been updated with the change noted above, as have all the translations.

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JOURNAL ARTICLES AND NEWSLETTERS

CDC publishes information about ACIP's new framework for developing immunization recommendations
CDC published New Framework (GRADE) for Development of Evidence-Based Recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in the May 11 issue of MMWR (page 327). A press summary of the article is reprinted below.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has adopted a new framework for developing evidence-based recommendations for the use of vaccines that is based on the GRADE approach. GRADE stands for Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation. GRADE is used by more than 60 major organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the World Health Organization. Using the GRADE framework, ACIP will systematically assess the type or quality of evidence about a vaccine’s expected health impacts and the balance of health benefits and risks, along with the values and preferences of persons affected, and health economic analyses. Use of this new framework is expected to enhance transparency, consistency, and communication.

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CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS

Reminder: National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions planned for May 23–25 in New Orleans
The 10th National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions (NCIHC) will take place in New Orleans on May 23–25. NCIHC is the only conference solely dedicated to collaboration and partnership as a way to improve the health status of communities. It offers skills-building, tools, and practical examples to help local, state, and national organizations build and sustain successful partnerships.

Among the speakers at this year's conference is Seth Mnookin, author of the acclaimed book The Panic Virus, A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear.

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About IZ Express

IZ Express is supported in part by Grant No. 1NH23IP922654 from CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Its contents are solely the responsibility of Immunize.org and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC.

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ISSN 2771-8085

Editorial Information

  • Editor-in-Chief
    Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH
  • Managing Editor
    John D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD
  • Associate Editor
    Sharon G. Humiston, MD, MPH
  • Writer/Publication Coordinator
    Taryn Chapman, MS
    Courtnay Londo, MA
  • Style and Copy Editor
    Marian Deegan, JD
  • Web Edition Managers
    Arkady Shakhnovich
    Jermaine Royes
  • Contributing Writer
    Laurel H. Wood, MPA
  • Technical Reviewer
    Kayla Ohlde

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