Issue Number
230 February
23, 2001
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- Check out the IOM Immunization Safety Review Committee
website and listserve
- Read about how FDA works to ensure vaccine safety
- Alaska implements media campaign to raise awareness of
new school immunization requirements
- Illinois immunization conference set for June
- CDC publishes errata on recent articles about measles in
the United States and Td shortage
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(1)
February 23, 2001
CHECK OUT THE IOM IMMUNIZATION SAFETY REVIEW COMMITTEE WEBSITE AND LISTSERVE
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has convened an independent committee of experts to review vaccine safety concerns at
the request of CDC and the National Institutes of Health. The Immunization Safety Review Committee will
meet three times a year over three years to look at various vaccine safety issues and publish a report on each concern it
addresses. The committee will recommend appropriate federal government action, such as changes in
surveillance, research, communication, or policy. A website established by the committee provides more information on the study, as
well as a listserve to announce new postings on the website.
Visit the website at http://www.iom.edu/imsafety
To register for the listserve, click on "Join the Project's Listserve."
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(2)
February 23, 2001
READ ABOUT HOW FDA WORKS TO ENSURE VACCINE SAFETY
Visit the website of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to read "How FDA Works to Ensure Vaccine Safety," an
article from FDA Consumer magazine. This informative article written in easy-to-understand language
outlines the step-by-step process the FDA follows in licensing vaccines. Learn
about the various phases of clinical trials, advisory committees, licenses, continuing studies, and the Vaccine
Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).
To obtain this article online, visit FDA's website at http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/095_vacc.html
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(3)
February 23, 2001
ALASKA IMPLEMENTS MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO RAISE AWARENESS OF NEW SCHOOL IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS
In an effort to raise public awareness of new immunization requirements for schools and daycare, the state of Alaska
has announced a $20,000 media campaign.
By the first day of school 2001, schoolchildren in Alaska are newly required to
be immunized for mumps, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B. Children in child care
facilities will also be required to have these vaccinations, as well as chickenpox (varicella) and haemophilus influenzae type b
(Hib) vaccinations.
The media campaign will include full-page ads in every newspaper in the state, as well as posters and pamphlets
that schools can use to inform parents about the new mandates.
For further information on Alaska's school and childcare facility immunization
laws, call the Alaska Immunization Hotline at (888) 430-4321 or visit Alaska's
Division of Public Health website at: http://www.epi.hss.state.ak.us/programs/infect/izregsinfo/reginfo.shtml
Go to: http://www.immunize.org/laws
to get the latest information compiled by the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) on state mandates for hepatitis B and varicella
prevention.
To view IAC's chart of state mandates for varicella prevention and their implementation dates, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/laws/varicel.htm
To view IAC's chart of state mandates for hepatitis B prevention and their implementation dates, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/laws/hepb.htm
We depend on our readers to help us stay informed and to ensure we offer the most accurate and current information
available on state vaccination mandates. Please let us know when any changes occur in your state.
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(4)
February 23, 2001
ILLINOIS IMMUNIZATION CONFERENCE SET FOR JUNE
The 2001 Illinois Immunization and Communicable Disease Conference, "Infectious Diseases: Global Issues Affecting
Illinois," will be held June 5 and 6, 2001, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield, Ill. The conference is
sponsored by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois Public
Health Association.
For additional information or to be placed on the conference mailing list, contact the Illinois Public Health Association
by phone at (217) 522-5687 or by email at ipha@ipha.com
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(5)
February 23, 2001
CDC PUBLISHES ERRATA ON RECENT ARTICLES ABOUT MEASLES IN THE UNITED STATES AND Td SHORTAGE
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published two errata on recent immunization stories in the
February 23, 2001, issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). The notices read as follows:
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Errata: Vol. 49, No. 46
In the article "Measles, Rubella, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome--United States and Mexico, 1997-1999," two errors
appeared on page 1048 in the first paragraph under the section, "Measles in the United States." In the fourth line,
the number of cases per 100,000 population should read <0.5, and in the last
sentence of the same paragraph, the date should read March 2000.
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Erratum: Vol. 49, No. 45
In the Notice to Readers, "Shortage of Tetanus and
Diphtheria Toxoids," an error occurred in the next to last
sentence of the second paragraph. The sentence should read,
"Arthritis-type reactions may occur among persons who
receive multiple doses of tetanus toxoid-containing vaccines
(TT or Td), especially within short intervals (<10 years)."
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To view the complete text of the measles erratum online, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5007a5.htm
To view the complete text of the tetanus erratum online, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5007a6.htm
HOW TO OBTAIN A FREE ELECTRONIC SUBSCRIPTION TO THE MMWR:
To obtain a free electronic subscription to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report (MMWR), visit CDC's MMWR website at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr
Select "Free MMWR Subscription" from the menu at the left of the screen. Once you have
submitted the required information, weekly issues of the MMWR and all new ACIP statements (published as MMWR's
"Recommendations and Reports") will arrive automatically by e-mail.
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