Issue
Number 347
November 4, 2002
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- Stay calm: IAC's new website isn't replacing
IAC's original website!
- Aventis Pasteur recalls selected lots of
meningococcal vaccine
- Pennsylvania now requires prenatal screening for
hepatitis B surface antigen
- New translations! Updated "Are you 11-19?"
available in Spanish and Turkish
- CDC releases recommendations for hand hygiene in
health-care settings
- Reminder! November 15 is deadline for abstracts
for the National Immunization Conference
- Newly available! IOM report from the Austin
Workshop on Immunization Finance is in print and online
- CDC announces National Diabetes Awareness Month
and reports that more diabetics need to practice preventive
care--including getting immunizations
- Fourth National HARM Reduction Conference,
"Taking Drug Users Seriously," set for December 1-4
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November 4, 2002
STAY CALM: IAC'S NEW WEBSITE ISN'T REPLACING IAC'S ORIGINAL WEBSITE!
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) has received a number of inquiries
from health professionals after the launch of our new website for the public
last week. Some individuals seem to have misunderstood this
announcement to mean that the new website (http://www.vaccineinformation.org/)
was going to replace IAC's original website (http://www.immunize.org/).
Not true! The new website is designed for the general public; the original
website is intended primarily for health professionals. While there is some
overlap between the two sites, each features unique material appropriate for
its intended audience.
We apologize for any confusion and invite you to explore and bookmark both
websites! Please visit both sites often!
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November 4, 2002
AVENTIS PASTEUR RECALLS SELECTED LOTS OF MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINE
On October 18, Aventis Pasteur initiated a voluntary recall of selected lots
of its Menomune meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine, groups A, C, Y, W-135
combined, single-dose vials (including single-dose in five-dose packaging).
The following is from the company's Menomune website:
********************
INFORMATION ABOUT THE RECALL AND WITHDRAWAL OF MENOMUNE-A/C/Y/W-135 VACCINE
(MENINGOCOCCAL POLYSACCHARIDE VACCINE, GROUPS A, C, Y, AND W-135 COMBINED)
Key Facts
- Aventis Pasteur is voluntarily recalling 4
single-dose lots of Menomune-A/C/Y/W-135 vaccine because stability data
indicated a potential for reduced protection against disease caused by
serogroup A.
- As a precautionary measure, Aventis
Pasteur is also withdrawing all single-dose vials of Menomune-A/C/Y/ W-135
vaccine because single-dose vials may fail potency standards for serogroup
A before the expiration date.
- U.S. college students should not be at
risk of exposure to serogroup A meningococcal disease unless they travel
to certain parts of Africa or have laboratory or industrial exposure to
serogroup A disease.
- To the best of our knowledge, serogroup A
disease does not circulate in the United States.
- According to the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, there has only been one case of serogroup A
meningococcal disease in the United States in the past ten years.
- Serogroups C, Y, and B are the most common
strains of meningococcal disease in the United States with fewer cases of
serogroup W-135. There is currently no vaccine licensed in the United
States to protect against serogroup B disease.
- Menomune-A/C/Y/W-135 vaccine continues to
offer protection against serogroups C, Y, and W-135.
- Anyone who has been vaccinated with
Menomune-A/C/Y/W-135 vaccine from the recalled and withdrawn lots since
January 2, 2001, and who is planning to travel to countries with a high
risk of serogroup A exposure or persons with laboratory or industrial
exposure to serogroup A disease should contact their health care provider
to discuss revaccination.
************************
To learn more about the recall, visit the company's Menomune website at
http://www.menomune.com
To read the recall information on FDA's website, go to:
http://www.fda.gov/cber/recalls/avemeni101802.htm
For further information, call Aventis Pasteur
at (800) 752-9340.
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November 4, 2002
PENNSYLVANIA NOW REQUIRES PRENATAL SCREENING FOR HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN
Since February, Pennsylvania has required that health care providers perform
a hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) screening test on all women once
pregnancy is confirmed. In addition, the positive test result must be
reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
To find out about current hepatitis B prenatal testing and vaccination laws
for Pennsylvania and other states, visit the "Hepatitis B Prevention
Mandates" web page on the website of the Immunization Action Coalition
(IAC) at
http://www.immunize.org/laws/hepb.htm
To get the latest information compiled by IAC
on other state mandates for vaccinations, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/laws/
We depend on state health departments and other readers to help us stay
informed and ensure this is the most accurate and current information
available. Please let us know when any changes occur in your state by
emailing us at admin@immunize.org
or calling us at (651) 647-9009.
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November 4, 2002
NEW TRANSLATIONS! UPDATED "ARE YOU 11-19?" NOW AVAILABLE IN SPANISH AND
TURKISH
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) now has Spanish and Turkish
translations of its recently revised patient-education sheet "Are You 11-19?
Then You Need to be Vaccinated Against These Serious Diseases!"
IAC gratefully acknowledges the National Immunization Program of the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention for the Spanish translation and Mustafa
Kozanoglu, MD, and Murat Serbest, MD, of Adana, Turkey, for the Turkish
translation.
To obtain the Spanish translation in HTML format, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4020-01.htm
For a camera-ready (PDF) version of the Spanish translation, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4020-01.pdf
The Turkish translation is available in a camera-ready (PDF) version only at
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4020tu.pdf
To obtain the English version in HTML format, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4020.htm
For a camera-ready (PDF) copy of the English version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/11teens8.pdf
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November 4, 2002
CDC RELEASES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HAND HYGIENE IN HEALTH-CARE SETTINGS
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published "Guideline
for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings" in the October 25 issue of "MMWR
Recommendations and Reports."
The guideline comprises the recommendations of the Healthcare Infection
Control Practices Advisory Committee and the HICPAC/SHEA/APIC/IDSA
[Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee/Society for
Healthcare Epidemiology of America/Association for Professionals in
Infection Control and Epidemiology/Infectious Diseases Society of
America] Hand Hygiene Task Force. The summary is reprinted below:
***************************
The Guideline for Hand Hygiene in Health-Care Settings provides health-care
workers (HCWs) with a review of data regarding handwashing and hand
antisepsis in health-care settings. In addition, it provides specific
recommendations to promote improved hand-hygiene practices and reduce
transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to patients and personnel in
health-care settings. This report reviews studies published since the 1985
CDC guideline (Garner JS, Favero MS. CDC guideline for handwashing and
hospital environmental control, 1985. Infect Control 1986;7:231-43) and the
1995 APIC guideline (Larson EL, APIC Guidelines Committee. APIC guideline
for handwashing and hand antisepsis in health care settings. Am J Infect
Control 1995;23:251-69) were issued and provides an in-depth review of
hand-hygiene practices of HCWs, levels of adherence of personnel to
recommended handwashing practices, and factors adversely affecting
adherence. New studies of the in vivo efficacy of alcohol-based hand rubs
and the low incidence of dermatitis associated with their use are reviewed.
Recent studies demonstrating the value of multidisciplinary hand-hygiene
promotion programs and the potential role of alcohol-based hand rubs in
improving hand-hygiene practices are summarized. Recommendations concerning
related issues (e.g., the use of surgical hand antiseptics, hand lotions or
creams, and wearing of artificial fingernails) are also included.
***************************
To obtain the complete text of the guideline online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5116a1.htm
To obtain a camera-ready (PDF format) copy of the guideline, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5116.pdf
The PDF version includes a free CDC-sponsored continuing education activity
that can be completed online or submitted via U.S. mail for CME, CEU, CHES,
or CNE credit. Simply read the MMWR report, answer the questions at the end
of the report, and follow the instructions for submitting your answers.
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 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 email.
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November 4, 2002
REMINDER! NOVEMBER 15 IS DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACTS FOR THE NATIONAL
IMMUNIZATION CONFERENCE
The deadline for submitting abstracts for the 37th National Immunization
Conference is November 15. The conference will be held March 17-20, 2003, in
Chicago.
To access the online abstract submission system, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/nic/
For further information about the conference, call Suzanne Johnson-DeLeon at
(404) 639-8225 or email her at
nipnic@cdc.gov
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November 4, 2002
NEWLY AVAILABLE! IOM REPORT FROM THE AUSTIN WORKSHOP ON IMMUNIZATION FINANCE
IS IN PRINT AND ONLINE
A new report titled "Setting the Course: A Strategic Vision for
Immunization. Part 2: Summary of the Austin Workshop" was recently published
by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies.
The report summarizes the discussions of the IOM workshop held in Austin,
TX, in October 2001 and is part of the immunization finance dissemination
effort associated with the release of an earlier IOM report, "Calling
the Shots: Immunization Finance Policies and Practices."
The Austin workshop report summarizes the findings of "Calling the Shots"
and reviews the challenges that remain in establishing a reliable financial
base for the U.S. immunization system, with specific reference to
challenges and strategies in the state of Texas.
To access the report and order it online, go to:
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10495.html
For further information, call Ryan Palugod at (202) 334-3973.
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November 4, 2002
CDC ANNOUNCES NATIONAL DIABETES AWARENESS MONTH AND REPORTS THAT MORE
DIABETICS NEED TO PRACTICE PREVENTIVE CARE--INCLUDING GETTING IMMUNIZATIONS
On November 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
announced that November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and
published "Preventive-Care Practices Among Persons with Diabetes--United
States, 1995 and 2001" in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
The announcement of National Diabetes Awareness Month says in part: "Persons
with diabetes should receive pneumococcal vaccinations and annual influenza
vaccinations because they are more likely than other persons to die from
complications of pneumonia and influenza."
The article on preventive-care practices analyzes data on selected
diabetes-related preventive-care practices, including influenza and
pneumococcal coverage, gathered from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
System (BRFSS) from 1995 to 2001 and compares the data against national
health objectives for 2010.
The article presents data based on respondents' age, sex, race/ethnicity,
education level, and access to health insurance. It states in part:
****************
From 1995 to 2001, the age-adjusted rate increased significantly for both
influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations. However, in 2001, the age-adjusted
rate of influenza vaccination among persons with diabetes was higher than
that for pneumococcal vaccination (43.5% versus 35.0%).
The rates of influenza vaccination increased with age for both 1995 and
2001, and rates in each age group increased from 1995 to 2001; however, the
increase was statistically significant only among those aged 65-74
years. In addition, the age-adjusted rate of influenza vaccination increased
significantly among men, non-Hispanic blacks, and those with a high school
education.
The age-specific rate of pneumococcal vaccination increased with age in both
1995 and 2001. The rate of pneumococcal vaccination increased significantly
in each age group. In addition, the age-adjusted rate increased
significantly among men and women, non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic
blacks, Hispanics, persons at each level of education, and those with and
without health insurance.
In 2001, the age-adjusted rates of the three preventive-care practices [eye
examination, foot examination, and self-monitoring of blood glucose at least
once daily] and the two vaccinations were below levels recommended by
the national health objectives. Rates of pneumococcal vaccination among
younger persons with diabetes showed the largest difference compared with
the 2010 objectives.
**********************
The editorial note finds that though the percentage of diabetics who
received preventive-care services increased from 1995 to 2001, the rate of
use of preventive-care practices and vaccination coverage in 2001 was less
than recommended, and improvement is needed to reach national health
objectives.
To obtain the complete text of the article online, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5143a2.htm
To obtain a camera-ready (PDF format) copy of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5143.pdf
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November 4, 2002
FOURTH NATIONAL HARM REDUCTION CONFERENCE, "TAKING DRUG USERS SERIOUSLY,"
SET FOR DECEMBER 1-4
The Fourth National Harm Reduction Conference, "Taking Drug Users
Seriously," will be held in Seattle on December 1-4. The major themes
include housing, overdose, mental health, prison and criminal justice, and
HIV.
For conference information, go to:
http://www.harmreduction.org/conference/4thnatlconf.html
For additional information, call (212) 213-6376 or email
hrc@harmreduction.org
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