Issue Number
242 May 3, 2001
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- Updated hepatitis B resources available from IAC
- American Cancer Society endorses hepatitis B vaccine for
children
- CBER Voice Information System offers callers information
on vaccines
- 2001 edition of Shoreland's TRAVEL & ROUTINE
IMMUNIZATIONS now available
- CDC publishes report on global polio eradication
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(1)
May 4, 2001
UPDATED HEPATITIS B RESOURCES AVAILABLE FROM IAC
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) is now offering three updated hepatitis B education resources.
"Hepatitis B Facts: Testing and Vaccination" combines the two IAC resources
formerly titled "Basic Knowledge about Hepatitis B" and "Basic Facts about Hepatitis B."
This updated one-page resource provides health professionals an easy reference for deciding who is at risk for hepatitis
B virus infection. It also clearly explains hepatitis B laboratory nomenclature and how to interpret
the hepatitis B panel. This page is perfect to keep handy as a reference. To
obtain a copy of this resource, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2110.htm
"Hepatitis B and the Health Care Worker" has been expanded. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) experts Harold S. Margolis, MD, and Linda A. Moyer, RN, answer
frequently asked questions about health care workers and hepatitis B. This informative two-page handout now includes
three additional questions. To obtain a copy of this resource, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/2109hcw.htm
"Hepatitis B Information for Asian and Pacific Islander Americans," is a
revised three-page piece that offers clear and easy-to-understand information
about hepatitis B for Asian and Pacific Islander American audiences. It discusses
what hepatitis B infection is and why it is dangerous, tells how the virus is transmitted, describes the symptoms of
hepatitis B virus infection, offers do's and don'ts for how people can protect themselves and others,
provides a list of contacts, and more. To obtain a copy of this resource, go
to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/4190apia.htm
A complete catalog of IAC materials is also available online at http://www.immunize.org/catalog
or by calling (651) 647-9009.
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(2)
May 4, 2001
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY ENDORSES HEPATITIS B VACCINE FOR CHILDREN
The American Cancer Society (ACS) issued a press release on April 26, 2001, calling the hepatitis B vaccine a "proven
anti-cancer weapon" and urged the public to heed recommendations that all children aged 0-18 get
immunized against the virus that can cause liver cancer. Joining with the CDC, ACS is stepping up efforts to increase hepatitis B
vaccinations for all children aged 0-18, and especially among Asian and Pacific Islander
American children in the United States.
To read the complete ACS press release online, visit: http://www2.cancer.org/media/index.cfm?article_id=204&sec=8
To read the release in Chinese translation, go to: http://www2.cancer.org/zine/hepb-chinese.pdf
To learn more about liver cancer and hepatitis B vaccination, visit the CDC website at:
http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis
You can also call CDC's hepatitis information line at (888) 443-7232. To contact
ACS, call (800) 227-2345 (800-ACS-2345).
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May 4, 2001
CBER VOICE INFORMATION SYSTEM OFFERS CALLERS INFORMATION ON VACCINES
Do you have questions about vaccine licensing and safety? You can telephone the Center for Biologics Evaluation and
Research (CBER) Voice Information System for direct access to a consumer safety officer or public
affairs specialist. Staff at this information line can help callers find out:
- when a vaccine was licensed
- any adverse events related to the vaccine
- answers to labeling questions
To reach this information line, call (800) 835-4709, press 1
if you have a touch-tone phone, and then press 5 to speak to someone. Hours of operation
are 8 am to 4:30 pm ET.
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(4)
May 4, 2001
2001 EDITION OF SHORELAND'S "TRAVEL & ROUTINE IMMUNIZATIONS" NOW AVAILABLE
Shoreland's updated 2001 edition of TRAVEL & ROUTINE IMMUNIZATIONS: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR THE MEDICAL OFFICE by
Richard F. Thompson, MD, is now available. Revised annually, the book includes updated
recommendations for hepatitis A, influenza, Lyme disease, meningococcal, pneumococcal, polio,
and varicella vaccines. It also includes a new section on immunization controversies, information on new approvals and
alternate schedules, a list of discontinued vaccines, and current tables of vaccine
recommendations.
Further information on the book is available on the website of the publisher,
Shoreland, Inc. Go to: http://www.shoreland.com/prodserv/tri.html
To ask questions or request copies of the book ($25 each plus $5 shipping and handling per order), call Shoreland,
Inc., at (800) 433-5256.
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(5)
May 4, 2001
CDC PUBLISHES REPORT ON GLOBAL POLIO ERADICATION
CDC published a report titled "Progress Toward Global Poliomyelitis Eradication, 2000" in the April 27, 2001,
edition of "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report" (MMWR).
A portion of the article's Editorial Note reads as follows:
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Progress toward interrupting wild poliovirus transmission, particularly in India,
the largest country where polio is endemic, underscores the feasibility of eradication. . . .
During 2001, the major objective of the eradication process is to continue vaccination activities in countries where
polio is endemic, including war-torn areas. Success will depend on negotiated cease-fires during vaccination
rounds, enhanced access to all children, and the continued support of external partners.
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To read the complete text of the article online, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5016a5.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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