Issue 1247: May 25, 2016

Ask the Experts
Ask the Experts—Question of the Week: A provider has a 54-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis who had been on…read more


TOP STORIES


IAC HANDOUTS


WORLD NEWS


FEATURED RESOURCES


EDUCATION AND TRAINING


CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS

 


TOP STORIES


New! May 2016 issue of Vaccinate Adults is available online

The May 2016 issue of Vaccinate Adults is now online. Vaccinate Adults is an abbreviated version of Needle Tips with the pediatric content removed.

Click on the image below to download the entire May issue of Vaccinate Adults (16-page, 4.59 MB PDF).

Access the Table of Contents to download individual sections or pages.

Download the November issue of Vaccinate Adults

This issue features the importance of using standing orders for improving immunization coverage, the 2016 U.S. recommended immunization schedules, how to order laminated pocket guides, and many ready-to-copy educational materials.

Also featured is the ever-popular column "Ask the Experts" from CDC medical officer Andrew T. Kroger, MD, MPH, and nurse educator Donna L. Weaver, RN, MN, both with the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

Related Links

If you would like to receive immediate email notification whenever new issues of Needle Tips or Vaccinate Adults are released, visit our Subscribe to IAC page to sign up.

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Reminder: May 2016 issue of Needle Tips is also available online

The May 2016 issue of Needle Tips is now online.

Click on the image below to download the entire May issue of Needle Tips (24-page, 9.59 MB PDF).

Access the Table of Contents (HTML) to download individual sections or pages.

Download the November issue of Vaccinate Adults

Related Links

If you would like to receive immediate email notification whenever new issues of Needle Tips or Vaccinate Adults are released, visit our Subscribe to IAC page to sign up.

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IAC Spotlight! IAC enrolls nine new birthing institutions into its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll; twelve previously honored institutions qualify for additional years

The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) is pleased to announce that nine new institutions have been accepted into its Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll. The birthing institutions are listed below with their reported hepatitis B birth dose coverage rates in parentheses.

  • Big Bend Regional Medical Center, Alpine, TX (97%)
  • Clay County Medical Center, Clay Center, KS (94%)
  • Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital, Glasgow, MT (91%)
  • Greenwood Leflore Hospital, Greenwood, MS (98%)
  • Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, Sugar Land, TX (99%)
  • Rio Grande Regional Hospital, McAllen, TX (96%)
  • Shannon Medical Center, San Angelo, TX (97%)
  • The Hospitals of Providence-Memorial Campus, El Paso, TX (97%)
  • Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, KS (97%)    


The following two institutions are being recognized for a second year:

  • Paoli Hospital–Main Line Health System, Paoli, PA (94%)
  • St. Rose Hospital, Hayward, CA    (99%)


The following ten institutions are being recognized for a third year:

  • Methodist South Hospital, Memphis, TN     (99%)
  • Central Carolina Hospital, Sanford, NC (95%)
  • Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center, Danville, KY (99%)
  • Greene County Medical Center, Jefferson, IA (97%)
  • Myrtue Medical Center, Harlan, IA (94%)
  • Platte Valley Medical Center, Brighton, CO (90%)
  • Regional Medical Center, San Jose, CA (96%)
  • Riverside Regional Medical Center, Newport News, VA (95%)
  • Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital, Nassawadox, VA (90%)
  • Wood County Hospital, Bowling Green, OH (92%)


The Honor Roll now includes 251 birthing institutions from 34 states and Puerto Rico. Seventy-three institutions have qualified for two years, 22 institutions have qualified three times, and one institution has qualified four times.

The Honor Roll is a key part of IAC’s major initiative urging the nation’s hospitals to Give birth to the end of Hep B. Hospitals and birthing centers are recognized for attaining high coverage rates for administering hepatitis B vaccine at birth and meeting specific additional criteria. The initiative urges qualifying healthcare organizations to apply for the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll online.

To be included in the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll, a birthing institution must have: (1) reported a coverage rate of 90 percent or greater, over a 12-month period, for administering hepatitis B vaccine before hospital discharge to all newborns, including those whose parents refuse vaccination, and (2) implemented specific written policies, procedures, and protocols to protect all newborns from hepatitis B virus infection prior to hospital discharge.

Honorees are also awarded an 8.5" x 11" color certificate suitable for framing and their acceptance is announced to IAC Express’s approximately 50,000 readers.

Please visit the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Honor Roll web page that lists these institutions and their exceptional efforts to protect infants from perinatal hepatitis B transmission.

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Free bulk quantities of pneumococcal and zoster vaccination laminated pocket guides available from IAC for distribution within your organization

IAC is pleased to announce the availability of bulk quantities of two newly updated laminated pocket guides for use by healthcare professionals, yours free for the ordering! The guides address issues related to the administration of (1) pneumococcal conjugate (PCV13) and polysaccharide (PPSV23) vaccines and (2) zoster vaccine. 
 
These concise pocket guides provide front-line healthcare personnel with quick reference information highlighting: 

  • Indications and contraindications for each vaccine
  • Targeted populations to be vaccinated
  • Details on how to administer the vaccines
  • Talking points for discussions with patients 

Each guide is laminated for durability, and the compact size (3¾" x 6¾") is designed to fit in a shirt or lab coat pocket.
 
The pocket guides are available at no cost to your organization. However, to assist us in controlling our mailing costs, we ask that you order in bulk (with a minimum order of 25) and that you manage the distribution of the guides (e.g., through internal networks, educational forums, member meetings, mass mailings) to your constituents.
 
To view the pocket guides and place your order, please visit www.immunize.org/pocketguides or click on either image below. These cards are for healthcare professional use only, not for distribution to patients.

Laminated Child and Teen Laminated Schedule     


 Laminated Child and Teen Laminated Schedule
 
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Register now for an IAC “Take a Stand™" workshop on the use of standing orders in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, or Baltimore in June; related workshop to be offered at the Iowa Immunization Conference on June 15

The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC), with support from Pfizer, has implemented Take a Stand™, a national effort designed to improve adult immunization rates by increasing the use of standing orders in medical practices.*
 
At the core of this project are free workshops led by national experts, including L.J Tan, MS, PhD;William Atkinson, MD, MPH; and Deborah Wexler, MD, from IAC; and Alexandra Stewart, JD, from George Washington University. These workshops already have been conducted in Louisville, KY; Chicago, IL; Portsmouth, VA; Nashville, TN; Little Rock, AR; San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Diego, CA; Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston, TX; Seattle, WA; Phoenix and Tucson, AZ; Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, FL; and Atlanta, GA. To illustrate how these have been going, here is a small recent sampling of comments received from attendees:

"Take a Stand Workshop was excellent. It provided my organization with the resources and tools needed for a successful implementation." T.B., registered nurse, SD

"Phenomenal! Helped us learn what next steps to take for our organization and how to obtain buy-in from front line staff!" A.P., BSN, RN, CCP, clinical services coordinator, Sanford Health, SD

"It is interesting to know preventative care of adults is just as important as that of children, so 'take a stand' to get adults immunized. Standing orders are a smart/easy way to capture non-immunized adults. The workshop is very informative and engaging." L.S., clinical manager, GA

"All the speakers are extremely knowledgeable and engaging. It is among the top 3 BEST conference/workshops I've ever attended." S.B., immunization program coordinator, FL

Don’t miss your chance to join these satisfied attendees. The next workshops are scheduled in the following four cities:

In addition, a Take a Stand™ mini-workshop has been added to the Iowa Immunization Conference on June 15. For more information go to Mini-Session Take A Stand™ Davenport, Iowa. Note: attendees of the mini-workshop will need to register for the conference itself. The non-member registration fee is $100.

Be sure to note that these are one-time-only events in each city.

Who should attend? Clinicians, nurses, and practice managers in medical offices that serve adults, as well as pharmacists and quality improvement managers, will benefit from the workshops.

A sample agenda and online registration information are available on the Take a Stand™ website at www.standingorders.org.

Please “take a stand” with us and spread the word about this unique opportunity for medical practices to improve their adult immunization rates while empowering staff and streamlining facility operations.

* Standing orders are written protocols approved by a physician or other authorized practitioner that allow qualified healthcare professionals (who are eligible to do so under state law, such as registered nurses or pharmacists) to assess the need for vaccination and to vaccinate patients meeting certain criteria.

Workshop Information

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IAC HANDOUTS


IAC updates educational handout about hepatitis B virus infection for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

IAC recently revised Hepatitis B Information for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. It has been updated from the 2013 edition to reflect some minor revisions.

Related Links

IAC's Handouts for Patients & Staff web section offers healthcare professionals and the public more than 250 FREE English-language handouts (many also available in translation), which we encourage website users to print out, copy, and distribute widely.

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WORLD NEWS


WHO reports on work of the Smallpox Secretariat and global preparedness

The May 20 issue of the WHO periodical Weekly Epidemiological Record included an article titled Smallpox in the post-eradication era. The selection from the article titled "Future perspectives" is reprinted below.

Regardless of when the stocks of variola virus at the 2 global repositories are destroyed, preparedness to deal with any kind of smallpox event whether accidental release, natural re-emergence or malicious introduction requires global and national attention. Additional steps for enhancing WHO Member State preparedness include specific education of health-care personnel in the differential diagnosis of smallpox; strengthening laboratory capacities for diagnostics and networks for the detection of variola virus; expansion of expertise in the area of laboratory biosafety and biosecurity; and strengthening of national-level biosafety regulations in all countries. WHO has updated its recommendations concerning the distribution, handling and synthesis of variola virus DNA following the synthetic biology consultations with the inputs of the ACVVR to this purpose. The current status of medical countermeasures is described in Table 1. Finally, public health measures for a smallpox event should be applied more widely to all other dangerous pathogens. As current events continue to demonstrate, this level of global preparedness for emerging infectious diseases is a much-needed investment for all Member States.

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FEATURED RESOURCES


Download Dr. Gary Marshall's The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians (“The Purple Book") as a new app for iOS devices or purchase as a print book

The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians (“The Purple Book,” 2015) is a comprehensive source of practical, up-to-date information for vaccine providers and educators. Its author, Gary S. Marshall, MD, has drawn together the latest vaccine science and guidance into a concise, user-friendly, practical resource for the private office, public health clinic, academic medical center, and hospital. This book is now available as a new app for iOS devices.

Information about the iOS app version of The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians

The Vaccine Handbook App contains the 5th edition of the book, updated with the latest immunization schedules and recommendations. The app enhances the utility of an already valuable print resource by including functions like keyword search, internal links, bookmarking, quick access to schedules and tables, hyperlinks to external sources, and the ability for real-time updates. A resources section provides ready access to authoritative immunization-related websites.  Available through a collaboration between the publisher and Sanofi Pasteur, registration as well as reporting under Open Payments is required. (Offer void in Minnesota.) Click on the image below to visit the relevant App Store page to download this resource today.
Download new app!
Information about the print version of The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians

The fifth edition of this valuable guide (560 pages) is available on IAC's website at www.immunize.org/vaccine-handbook. The price of the handbook is $29.95 each, plus shipping charges. Discount pricing is available for more than 10 copies. Order copies for your staff or for distribution at an upcoming conference.

Quantity Discount Pricing
  • 1–10 books: no discount + shipping
  • 11–50 books: 5% + shipping
  • 51–100 books: 10% + shipping
  • 101–500 books: 15% + shipping
  • 501–1000 books: 20% + shipping

For quotes on larger quantities, email admininfo@immunize.org.

Order your copy today! Click on the image below to visit the "Shop IAC: The Vaccine Handbook" web page.
Order your copy of The Vaccine Handbook today!
About the Author
Gary Marshall, MD, is professor of pediatrics at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky, where he serves as chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases and director of the Pediatric Clinical Trials Unit. In addition to being a busy clinician, he is nationally known for his work in the areas of vaccine research, advocacy, and education.

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Now available! IAC's sturdy laminated versions of the 2016 U.S. child/teen immunization schedule and the 2016 U.S. adult immunization schedule—order a supply for your healthcare setting today!


IAC's laminated versions of the 2016 U.S. child/teen immunization schedule and the 2016 U.S. adult immunization schedule are covered with a tough, washable coating; they will stand up to a year's worth of use in every area of your healthcare setting where immunizations are given. Both schedules are eight pages (i.e., four double-sided pages) and are folded to measure 8.5" x 11". 

Laminated Child and Teen Laminated Schedule

Adult Laminated Immunization Schedules

Laminated schedules are printed in color for easy reading, come complete with essential tables and footnotes, and include contraindications and precautions—a feature that will help you make an on-the-spot determination about the safety of vaccinating patients of any age.

PRICING
1–4 copies: $7.50 each
5–19 copies: $5.50 each
20–99 copies: $4.50 each
100–499 copies: $4.00 each
500–999 copies: $3.50 each

For quotes on customizing or placing orders for 1,000 copies or more, call (651) 647-9009 or email admininfo@immunize.org.

You can access specific information on both schedules, view images of both, order online, or download an order form at the Shop IAC: Laminated Schedules web page.

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EDUCATION AND TRAINING


NFID to offer webinar on travel vaccines

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) will be offering a webinar titled "Travel Vaccines: Know Before You Go" on June 1, at 12:00 p.m. (ET). Wilbur H. Chen, MD, MS, director, University of Maryland Traveler's Health Clinic at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, will discuss the importance of travel vaccines. The presentation will cover important travel vaccines before the busy summer travel season begins and will focus on communication, timing, and vaccines recommended based on specific travelers to specific destinations. 

Access registration information.

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CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS


Draft agenda for June ACIP meeting now available

CDC has released a draft agenda for the next Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting, which will be held June 22–23 at CDC's Clifton Road campus in Atlanta. The registration deadline for attending in person has passed for non-U.S. citizens, but is open through June 6 for U.S. citizens.

Registration is not required to listen to the meeting; the call-in information page is listed below. The live meeting recording and presenter slides are always made available online after the meeting as well.
 

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Save the date: Hawaii Immunization Coalition to offer CDC's “Pink Book” course January 10–11, 2017

The Hawaii Immunization Coalition (HIC) will be offering a two-day, in-person course covering Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases ("The Pink Book") with CDC faculty reviewing immunization principles, as well as vaccine-preventable diseases and the recommended vaccines to prevent them. Registration will be available soon. More information is available on HIC's website.

Related Links

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ASK THE EXPERTS

Question of the Week

A provider has a 54-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis who had been on etanercept (Embrel) at a dose of 50 mg per week. The etanercept was stopped two weeks ago. What is the interval between stopping etanercept and receiving zoster vaccine?

The safety and efficacy of zoster vaccine administered concurrently with recombinant human immune mediators and immune modulators (such as the anti-tumor necrosis factor agents adalimumab, infliximab, and etanercept) is not known. It is preferable to administer zoster vaccine before treatment with these drugs. Otherwise, administration of zoster vaccine (and other live vaccines) should be deferred for at least one month after discontinuation of treatment.

About IAC's Question of the Week

Each week, IAC Express highlights a new, topical, or important-to-reiterate Q&A. This feature is a cooperative venture between IAC and CDC. William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH, IAC's associate director for immunization education, chooses a new Q&A to feature every week from a set of Q&As prepared by experts at CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

We hope you enjoy this new feature and find it helpful when dealing with difficult real-life scenarios in your vaccination practice. Please encourage your healthcare professional colleagues to sign up to receive IAC Express at www.immunize.org/subscribe.

If you have a question for the CDC immunization experts, you can email them directly at nipinfo@cdc.gov. There is no charge for this service.

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About IZ Express

IZ Express is supported in part by Grant No. NH23IP922654 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.

IZ Express Disclaimer
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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