IAC Express 2008 |
Issue number 705: January 14, 2008 |
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Contents
of this Issue
Select a title to jump to the article. |
- New: CDC,
AAP, and AAFP release the 2008 Recommended Immunization Schedule for
Persons Age 0-18 Years
- Article
published in an AMA journal counters the recurrent and unsubstantiated
claim that exposure to thimerosal in vaccines is a cause of autism
- January
issue of CDC's Immunization Works electronic newsletter now available
online
- IAC
updates "Immunizations for Babies" and "When Do Children and Teens Need
Vaccinations?"
- Here's a
round up of IAC's newly translated print education materials for staff and
patients
-
Important: Be sure to give influenza vaccine throughout the influenza
season--from now through spring
- VIS
translation: Interim VIS for meningococcal vaccines now available in
Turkish
- Reminder:
January 15 is registration deadline for net conference on zoster
disease/vaccine and adolescent immunization recommendations
- Slides
and audio of AHIP's virtual seminar on "Medicare Part D and Vaccine Claims
Submission" now available
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Abbreviations |
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AAFP, American Academy of Family Physicians; AAP,
American Academy of Pediatrics; ACIP, Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices; AMA, American Medical Association; CDC, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention; FDA, Food and Drug Administration; IAC, Immunization
Action Coalition; MMWR, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report; NCIRD,
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; NIVS, National
Influenza Vaccine Summit; VIS, Vaccine Information Statement; VPD,
vaccine-preventable disease; WHO, World Health Organization. |
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Issue 705: January 14, 2008 |
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1. |
New: CDC, AAP, and AAFP release the 2008 Recommended Immunization Schedule
for Persons Age 0-18 Years
CDC, AAP, and AAFP have endorsed and released the
"Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons Aged 0-18 Years--United
States, 2008." On January 11, CDC published the schedule as an MMWR
QuickGuide; it is reprinted below in its entirety, excluding references, two
figures, and a table.
In addition, the NCIRD website posted black and white and color versions of
the schedule's figures, table, and references, as well as presentation
graphics (for use in PowerPoint presentations). Also, AAFP published an
article about the schedule in the January issue of the journal American
Family Physician, and AAP published an article in the January issue of the
journal Pediatrics. AAP also published an article in AAP News and issued a
related press release. Links to the NCIRD, AAFP, and AAP materials are given
at the end of this IAC Express article.
CDC recapped the MMWR QuickGuide information in two resources: the January
issue of the Immunization Works electronic newsletter and a January 11 CDC
press release titled "Health Groups Release 2008 Immunization Schedules:
Children and adolescents now protected against more diseases than ever
before." The Immunization Works recap is printed in full in article #3 of
this IAC Express issue. A link to the January 11 CDC press release is given
at the end of this IAC Express article.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) annually
publishes a recommended immunization schedule for persons aged
0-18 years to reflect changes in vaccine formulations and
current recommendations for the use of licensed vaccines.
Changes to the previous schedule are as follows:
- The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) footnote reflects
updated recommendations for incompletely vaccinated children
aged 24-59 months, including those with underlying medical
conditions.
- Recommendations for use of the live attenuated influenza
vaccine (LAIV) now include healthy children aged as young as 2
years. LAIV should not be administered to children aged <5
years with recurrent wheezing. Children aged <9 years who are
receiving influenza vaccine for the first time or who were
vaccinated for the first time last season, but only received 1
dose, should have 2 doses of vaccine, at least 4 weeks apart.
Other updates are included.
- For meningococcal vaccines, changes affect certain children
aged 2-10 years. Vaccinating with meningococcal conjugate
vaccine (MCV4) is preferred to meningococcal polysaccharide
vaccine (MPSV4) for children at increased risk for
meningococcal disease, including children who are traveling to
or residents of countries in which the disease is hyperendemic
or epidemic, children who have terminal complement component
deficiencies, and children who have anatomic or functional
asplenia. The catch-up schedule for youths aged 13-18 years
has been updated. MPSV4 is an acceptable alternative for
short-term (i.e., 3-5 years) protection against meningococcal
disease for persons aged 2-18 years.
- The tetanus and diphtheria toxoids/tetanus and diphtheria
toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (Td/Tdap) catch-up
schedule for persons aged 7-18 years who received their first
dose before age 12 months now indicates that these youths
should receive 4 doses, with at least 4 weeks (not 8 weeks)
between doses 2 and 3.
- The catch-up bars for hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae
type b conjugate vaccine have been deleted on the routine
schedule for persons aged 0-6 years. The figure title refers
users to the catch-up schedule for patients who fall behind or
start late with vaccinations.
The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act requires that
healthcare providers provide parents or patients with copies of
Vaccine Information Statements before administering each dose of the vaccines listed in the schedule. Additional information is
available from state health departments and from CDC at
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/default.htm
Detailed recommendations for using vaccines are available from
package inserts, ACIP statements (available at
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/acip-list.htm), and the 2006
Red Book. Guidance regarding the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting
System form is available at http://www.vaers.hhs.gov or by
telephone, (800) 822-7967.
To access a web-text (HTML) version of the QuickGuide, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5701a8.htm
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR,
go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5701.pdf
To receive a FREE electronic subscription to MMWR (which
includes new ACIP statements), go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html
NCIRD materials:
To access the figures, table, and references from the 2008
schedule, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/child-schedule.htm#printable
and click on the pertinent link.
To access the presentation graphics for use in PowerPoint
presentations, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/child-schedule.htm#presentation
and click on the pertinent link.
AAFP materials:
In the January 2008 issue of American Family Physician, AAFP
published "Practice Guidelines: ACIP Releases 2008 Child and
Adolescent Immunization Schedules."
To access a web-text (HTML) version of the article, go to:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20080101/practice.html#p1
AAP materials:
In the January 2008 issue of Pediatrics, AAP published
"Recommended Immunization Schedules for Children and
Adolescents--United States, 2008" as a policy statement from its
Committee on Infectious Diseases.
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the article, go to:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/119/1/207
On January 2, AAP issued a press release, "AAP Issues
Recommended 2008 Immunization Schedules, for Children,
Adolescents."
To access it, go to:
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/jan08immunization.htm
The January issue of AAP News published "Highlights of the 2008
Immunization Schedules"; the highlights are available to
subscribers only.
To access the highlights, go to:
http://aapnews.aappublications.org/current.shtml and scroll down
to the four links to "Highlights of the 2008 Immunization
Schedules."
CDC press release:
To access the January 11 press release, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/2008/r080111.htm
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2. |
Article published in an AMA journal counters the recurrent and
unsubstantiated claim that exposure to thimerosal in vaccines is a cause of
autism
An article in the January issue of the Archives
of General
Psychiatry, a journal published by the American Medical
Association (AMA), refutes the claim that childhood exposure to
thimerosal is a cause of autism. Titled "Continuing Increases in
Autism Reported to California's Developmental Services System:
Mercury in Retrograde," the article is written by Robert
Schechter, MD, MSc, and Judith K. Grether, PhD. The abstract is
reprinted below.
A related editorial by Eric Fombonne, MD, titled "Thimerosal
Disappears but Autism Remains," also appears in the issue. A
link to an extract (the first 150 words) of the editorial
appears at the end of this IAC Express article. In addition, the
website of the National Network for Immunization Information
(NNii) posted a synopsis of the article that will be useful to
the public and media. A link to the synopsis also appears at the
end of this IAC Express article.
ARTICLE ABSTRACT
Context: Previous analyses of autism client data reported to the
California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) have been
interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that autism is caused
by exposure to the preservative thimerosal, which contains
ethylmercury. The exclusion of thimerosal from childhood
vaccines in the United States was accelerated from 1999 to 2001.
The Immunization Safety Review Committee of the Institute of
Medicine has recommended surveillance of trends in autism as
exposure to thimerosal during early childhood has decreased.
Objective: To determine whether trends in DDS autism client data
support the hypothesis that thimerosal exposure is a primary
cause of autism.
Design, Setting, and Patients: Study of time trends in the
prevalence by age and birth cohort of children with autism who
were active status clients of the DDS from January 1, 1995,
through March 31, 2007.
Main Outcome Measure: Prevalence of autism among children with
active status in the DDS.
Results: The estimated prevalence of autism for children at each
year of age from 3 to 12 years increased throughout the study
period. The estimated prevalence of DDS clients aged 3 to 5
years with autism increased for each quarter from January 1995
through March 2007. Since 2004, the absolute increase and the
rate of increase in DDS clients aged 3 to 5 years with autism
were higher than those in DDS clients of the same ages with any
eligible condition including autism.
Conclusions: The DDS data do not show any recent decrease in
autism in California despite the exclusion of more than trace
levels of thimerosal from nearly all childhood vaccines. The DDS
data do not support the hypothesis that exposure to thimerosal
during childhood is a primary cause of autism.
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of both the abstract
and article, go to:
http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/65/1/19
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the extract (the
first 150 words) of Eric Fombonne's editorial, go to:
http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/extract/65/1/15
To access the NNii synopsis of the article, go to:
http://www.immunizationinfo.org/immunization_science_detail.cfv?id=134
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3. |
January issue of CDC's Immunization Works electronic newsletter now available
online
The January issue of Immunization Works, a
monthly email
newsletter published by CDC, is available on the website of the
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
(NCIRD). The newsletter offers members of the immunization
community non-proprietary information about current topics. CDC
encourages its wide dissemination.
Some of the information in the January issue has already
appeared in previous issues of IAC Express. Following is the
text of two articles we have not covered, as well as an article
about the 2008 Childhood/Adolescent Immunization Schedule (also
covered in article #1 of this issue of IAC Express).
FRONT PAGE NEWS
Updated Childhood/Adolescent Immunization Schedules: The
Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons 0-18 and the
catch-up immunization schedule for 2008 have just been approved
by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, American
Academy of Family Physicians, and American Academy of
Pediatrics.
The childhood schedule expands the recommendation for the nasal
spray influenza vaccine, FluMist, to include healthy children
from 2 to 5 years of age who are healthy and don't have a
history of asthma or wheezing. The vaccine, which contains a
weakened form of the live virus and is sprayed in the nose, had
previously been limited to healthy children 5 years of age and
older and healthy adults up to age 50.
Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (MCV4) is now recommended for
routine vaccination for children 11–12 years of age and of
adolescents 13-18 years of age who have not been previously
vaccinated and other people at increased risk of meningococcal
disease, including college freshmen living in dorms and military
recruits.
This recommendation modifies and simplifies the previous
recommendation for routine vaccination with MCV4 of children at
11-12 years of age, adolescents before high school entry
(approximately 15 years of age), and other people at increased
risk.
The new schedule also updates recommendations for use of
pneumococcal vaccine. Healthy children 24 through 59 months of
age who are incompletely vaccinated should receive one dose of
PCV4. More information about the schedule can be found in the
full article in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
(MMWR).
MEETINGS, CONFERENCES & RESOURCES
NEXT ACIP MEETING: The Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP) will hold its next meeting on February 27-28,
2008, at the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia. This meeting is open to
the general public, but advanced registration is required. More
information can be found on the ACIP website
[http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/ACIP/meetings.htm].
ON-SITE TRAINING IN ATLANTA: A two-day Epidemiology and
Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases course
[http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/ACIP/meetings.htm] will be
held in Atlanta on April 15-16, 2008, at CDC. Space is limited.
Questions can be directed to Laverne Graham at (404) 639-8225.
Issues of Immunization Works are posted on CDC's Vaccines &
Immunizations website a few days after publication. To access
the January issue, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/news/newsltrs/imwrks Click on the
link titled "Jan" under the banner titled "2008 Newsletters
Available Online."
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4. |
IAC updates "Immunizations for Babies" and "When Do Children and Teens Need
Vaccinations?"
IAC recently revised two of its parent-education
print
materials: "Immunizations for Babies: A guide for parents" and
"When Do Children and Teens Need Vaccinations?" Minor changes
were made to both pieces.
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the updated
"Immunizations for Babies," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4010.pdf
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of the updated "When Do
Children and Teens Need Vaccinations?" go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4050.pdf
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5. |
Here's a round up of IAC's newly translated print education materials for
staff and patients
In recent months, the IAC website has posted
translations of
several print education materials in Spanish. In addition, one
piece, "Screening Questionnaire for Adult Immunization," is now
available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Korean, Russian, and
Vietnamese, as well as Spanish. Following is a listing of these
print materials.
PRINT MATERIALS NEWLY AVAILABLE IN SPANISH
To access "Screening Questionnaire for Intranasal Influenza
Vaccination" in SPANISH, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4067-01.pdf
To access "Screening Questionnaire for Intranasal Influenza
Vaccination" in ENGLISH, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4067.pdf
To access "Are You 11-19 Years Old? Then you need to be
vaccinated against these serious diseases!" in SPANISH, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4020-01.pdf
To access "Are You 11-19 Years Old? Then you need to be
vaccinated against these serious diseases!" in ENGLISH, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4020.pdf
To access "Questions Frequently Asked About Hepatitis B" in
SPANISH, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4090-01.pdf
To access "Questions Frequently Asked About Hepatitis B" in
ENGLISH, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4090.pdf
To access "Screening Questionnaire for Injectable Influenza
Vaccine" in SPANISH, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4066-01.pdf
To access "Screening Questionnaire for Injectable Influenza
Vaccine" in ENGLISH, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4066.pdf
To access "Vaccinations for Adults: You're never too old to get
immunized!" in SPANISH, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4030-01.pdf
To access "Vaccinations for Adults: You're never too old to get
immunized!" in ENGLISH, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4030.pdf
To access "If You Have HIV, Which Vaccinations Do You Need?" in
SPANISH, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4041-01.pdf
To access "If You Have HIV, Which Vaccinations Do You Need?" in
ENGLISH, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4041.pdf
To access "If You Have Hepatitis C, Which Vaccinations Do You
Need?" in SPANISH, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4042-01.pdf
To access "If You Have Hepatitis C, Which Vaccinations Do You
Need?" in ENGLISH, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4042.pdf
"SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE FOR ADULT IMMUNIZATION" NOW AVAILABLE
IN SPANISH AND SEVERAL ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES
To access "Screening Questionnaire for Adult Immunization" in
SPANISH, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-01.pdf
To access "Screening Questionnaire for Adult Immunization" in
ARABIC, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-20.pdf
To access "Screening Questionnaire for Adult Immunization" in
CHINESE, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-08.pdf
To access "Screening Questionnaire for Adult Immunization" in
FRENCH, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-10.pdf
To access "Screening Questionnaire for Adult Immunization" in
KOREAN, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-09.pdf
To access "Screening Questionnaire for Adult Immunization" in
RUSSIAN, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-07.pdf
To access "Screening Questionnaire for Adult Immunization" in
VIETNAMESE, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065-05.pdf
To access "Screening Questionnaire for Adult Immunization" in
ENGLISH, go to: http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065.pdf
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6. |
Important: Be sure to give influenza vaccine throughout the influenza
season--from now through spring
Influenza vaccination should continue through the
early months
of 2008. Visit the following websites often to find the
information you need to keep vaccinating. Both are continually
updated with the latest resources.
The National Influenza Vaccine Summit website at
http://www.preventinfluenza.org
CDC's Seasonal Flu web section at http://www.cdc.gov/flu
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7. |
VIS translation: Interim VIS for meningococcal vaccines now available in
Turkish
The current version (dated 8/16/07) of the
interim VIS for
meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MPSV4) and meningococcal
conjugate vaccine (MCV4) is now available on the IAC website in
Turkish. IAC gratefully acknowledges Mustafa Kozanoglu, MD, and
Murat Serbest, MD, for the translation.
To obtain the interim VIS for meningococcal vaccines in Turkish,
go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/tu_men.pdf
To obtain the interim VIS for meningococcal vaccines in English,
go to: http://www.immunize.org/vis/menin06.pdf
For information about the use of VISs, and for VISs in more than
30 languages, visit IAC's VIS web section at
http://www.immunize.org/vis
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8. |
Reminder: January 15 is registration deadline for net conference on zoster
disease/vaccine and adolescent immunization recommendations
The next NCIRD live Net Conference will cover
shingles (zoster)
disease and vaccine and adolescent vaccination recommendations.
It is scheduled from noon to 1PM ET on January 17. Registration
will close on January 15 at midnight ET or when the course is
full. To register, go to:
http://www2.cdc.gov/nip/isd/ciinc
For additional information, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/ciinc
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9. |
Slides and audio of AHIP's virtual seminar on "Medicare Part D and Vaccine
Claims Submission" now available
In November 2007, the trade association America's
Health
Insurance Plans (AHIP), presented a virtual seminar--"Medicare
Part D and Vaccine Claims Submission." Slides with audio are now
available, as are slides without audio.
To access both the slides with audio and the slides without
audio, go to: http://www.ahip.org/virtual/medicarepartd Scroll
down to the section titled Registered Attendees and click on the
pertinent link.
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