The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s
Immunization Works Monthly Update is
provided to national health care provider
and consumer groups for distribution
to their members and constituencies.
The immunization information provided
is non-proprietary and is encouraged
to be widely disseminated and shared.
|
2004
IOM Report on Vaccines and Autism |
The
Immunization Safety Review Committee
of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) examined
the hypothesis that vaccines, specifically
the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine
and thimerosal-containing vaccines are
causally associated with autism. After
careful review of new epidemiologic evidence
and biologic mechanism theories, the
committee concluded that neither thimerosal-containing
vaccines or MMR vaccine are associated
with autism. The committee further concluded
that the hypotheses regarding how MMR
vaccine and thimerosal-containing vaccines
trigger autism lack supporting evidence
and are theoretical only. The committee
felt that future research to find the
cause of autism should be directed toward
other promising lines of inquiry that
are supported by current knowledge and
evidence and offer more promise for providing
an answer.
The
2004 report updates two earlier IOM reports,
published in 2001, on possible links
between autism and the MMR vaccine and
thimerosal-containing vaccines. In 2001,
the committee determined that the evidence
did not show an association between the
MMR vaccine and autism, but there was
not enough evidence to determine whether
thimerosal was associated with neurodevelopmental
disorders such as autism. Given that
mercury is known to have a toxic effect
on the nervous system and that prenatal
exposures to another form of mercury
have been show to adversely affect early
childhood development, the committee
concluded in 2001 that it was possible
to hypothesize that thimerosal might
trigger neurodevelopmental problems.
The committee revisited these issues
because several studies exploring the
epidemiology and biological mechanisms
of possible links between vaccines and
autism have been undertaken during the
past three years.
Autism
is a devastating disorder that causes
tremendous emotional and economic burdens
for families of children with autism.
Autism research and monitoring are high
priorities for CDC. Such efforts are
essential in answering key questions
about whether autism is increasing over
time, determining the cause(s) of this
condition, and ultimately developing
prevention strategies. Similarly, vaccine
safety research and monitoring continue
to be high priorities for CDC. Such efforts
are critical for ensuring that the United
States continues to have the safest vaccine
supply in history.
For
more information on “Vaccines and
Autism” and a link to the full
2004 IOM Report, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vacsafe/concerns/autism/
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ACIP
Childhood and Adolescent Immunization
Schedule:
The ACIP has released a new immunization
schedule effective July – December,
2004 for childhood and adolescent immunization.
The primary change to the existing schedule
is the recommendation that all children
between the ages of 6 to 23 months of
age receive a yearly influenza vaccine.
The entire immunization schedule can
be found at http://www.cdc.gov/nip/recs/child-schedule.htm#julydec
Dates
Set for the Immunization Awareness Week:
The National Foundation for Infectious
Diseases (NFID) and the National Coalition
for Adult Immunization have set the 2004
National Adult Immunization Awareness
Week for September 26 to October 2, 2004.
This year’s theme is “Immunization:
Building a Pathway to a Healthy Tomorrow.”
The 2005 National Infant
Immunization Week will be April 24-30,
2005. The week will coincide with the
Pan American Health Organizations’
Vaccine Week in the Americas. Resources
for those interested in celebrating these
two events will be made available on
the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/nip/events/naiaw/
Vaccine
Information Statements:
CDC has released a new Typhoid
Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) and
two Influenza VISs (TIV
& LAIV) for the 2004-2005 season.
These VISs are also being translated
and foreign language versions will be
posted on the Immunization Action Coalition’s
website at http://www.immunize.org/vis/
when they are available. The English
versions of the VISs can be found at
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/VIS/
All immunization providers are
required by law to distribute VIS statements
to their patients.
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| Meetings,
Conferences, and Resources |
Netconference:
Current Issues in Immunization:
July 4th is the registration deadline
for CDC’s Netconference “Current
Issues in Immunization” scheduled
for July 8th from noon to 1:00 p.m. eastern
time. The NetConference is designed to
provide clinicians with up-to-date information
on immunization. Topics will focus on
influenza recommendations for 2004-2005.
The conference requires pre-registration
and space is limited. To register visit
http://www2.cdc.gov/nip/isd/ciinc/
or for more information visit www.cdc.gov/nip/ed/ciinc/
Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices Meeting:
The Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP) will hold its next meeting
at the Marriott Century Center Hotel
in Atlanta, Georgia, June 23-24, 2004.
The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on
the 23rd, concluding at 2:00 p.m. on
the 24th. Agenda topics include informational
updates and discussion on a variety of
topics including Hepatitis A, influenza,
meningococcal vaccine, and PCV7 shortages.
Votes will be taken on the HICPAC-ACIP
statement on influenza immunization of
health care workers and the adult immunization
schedule. The meeting is open to the
public. For more information visit www.cdc.gov/nip/acip/.
Fifth
Immunization Registry Conference:
The 5th Immunization Registry Conference
will be held October 18–20, 2004,
at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia Hotel in
Atlanta, Georgia. Please visit our web
page at www.cdc.gov/nip/registry/irc/
for more information as it becomes available.
The abstract submission system, and the
online conference registration system,
will be available in June.
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Sixth
National Conference on Immunization Coalitions:
Sixth National Conference on Immunization
Coalitions is scheduled for September
20-22, 2004 at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside
Hotel in Norfolk, Virginia. This year’s
conference theme, Chart Your Coalition’s
Course for Norfolk, describes the goal
of the meeting. The conference provides
training on how to create, lead and sustain
effective local or state coalitions and
partnerships that address childhood,
adolescent and adult immunizations. Specifically,
the conference addresses coalitions as
agents of social change, the elements
of a successful coalition and ethnic
diversity in coalitions. For conference
brochure and registration information,
please visit our website at www.cme.hsc.usf.edu/coph/immcoal,
or call 813-974-6695 or toll-free 888-USF-COPH
(Press "2" for Continuing Education).
Free
CMEs Available Related to the Vaccine
Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS):
Health
care providers may access the “Vaccine
Safety Post-Marketing Surveillance: The
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System”
with free CMEs through September 19,
2004. To access the CME article visit
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vacsafe/VAERS/CME-post-mktg-surv.htm.
Additional information related to VAERS
is available at http://vaers.hhs.gov.
Provider
Training Preferences:
Efficient,
effective and user-friendly continuing
education is a priority of CDC. To meet
the needs of immunization providers,
we are soliciting input from providers.
You can help us design and provide the
best training courses possible by taking
a few minutes to complete a short survey.
The survey can be found at http://www2.cdc.gov/nip/isd/tpips/.
All responses are confidential and will
help CDC develop education and training
products that meet the needs of the busy
healthcare professional. If you have
any questions or need additional information,
contact Terrance Campbell at tqc4@cdc.gov.
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CDC
Seeks Director, Division of Viral Hepatitis,
National Center for Infectious Diseases:
The
National Center for Infectious Diseases
at CDC is seeking exceptional candidates
for the position of Director, Division
of Viral Hepatitis. The mission of this
Division is to prevent, control and eliminate
hepatitis virus infections. The director
manages a division budget exceeding $25
million and approximately 130 professionals
and support staff. The Director is responsible
for providing the scientific, programmatic
and management leadership required for
a program to prevent infection with hepatitis
viruses and the liver disease associated
with these infections. Applicants must
possess an M.D., Ph.D., or other earned
doctorate in disease prevention or related
health sciences, public health, epidemiology,
microbiology or molecular biology. For
more information visit http://www.cdc.gov/hrmo/hrmo.htm
Job
Openings within the National Immunization
Program:
NIP
is committed to recruiting and hiring
qualified candidates for a wide range
of positions. Researchers, Medical Officers
and Epidemiologists as well as other
specialties are often needed to fill
positions within NIP. We encourage all
interested parties to apply for these
jobs. For a current listing of positions
available at NIP, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/hrmo/hrmo.htm.
Once at the site, conduct a search for
“National Immunization Program." |
