April
12, 1955 heralds a unique moment in our contemporary culture.
That was the date that culminated more than 17 years of unparalleled
research that led to the development and distribution of the
first inactivated poliovirus vaccine by Dr. Jonas Salk and
other colleagues. The development of the vaccine was an accomplishment
that ended an era of global fear of a dreaded contagious disease,
and in the process, reshaped the conduct of science, the funding
of science, and the public’s role in the support of
science. These efforts impacted the way that public health
was administered and advanced the general understanding of
ways basic scientific research benefited humanity though collaboration
between academic, philanthropic, and government institutions.
April 12, 2005 marks the 50th anniversary of the announcement
that a safe, potent and effective vaccine against polio had
been found.
The
fight against polio brought together communities in a national
collaboration that at that time was the largest human cooperative
effort in history. In the days leading up to the vaccine’s
approval, children in communities across the United States
participated in the field trials as America’s “Polio
Pioneers.” Thousands of health care workers and lay
people volunteered their time to assist with the vaccine field
trials, the largest ever in United States history. Millions
of Americans participated by raising funds in their communities
to support the larger research effort and a single goal: victory
over polio.
Although
polio was eliminated from the Americas in 1994, the disease
still circulates in Asia and Africa, paralyzing the world’s
most vulnerable children. In a continually shrinking world,
polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases remain only a
plane ride away. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative,
spearheaded by the World Health Organization, Rotary International,
CDC and UNICEF, was begun in 1988. That year, an estimated
350,000 children were paralyzed with polio worldwide; in 2004,
polio cases had fallen to just over 1,200 cases globally.
The Initiative’s success will be a triumph of international
cooperation, attesting to our ability to unite across borders
and differences to conquer global public health issues.
Since
the introduction of the vaccine, great strides have been made
in significantly reducing the health impact of vaccine-preventable
diseases on children and adults worldwide. We can now protect
children from more than 12 vaccine preventable diseases and
disease rates have been reduced by 99% in the U.S. Yet, without
diligent efforts to maintain immunization programs in the
U.S. and strengthen them worldwide, the diseases seen 50 years
ago remain a threat to our children.
Commemorative
Events
Public
events, which will be occurring on April 12, include the opening
of a year-long exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National
Museum of American History on “Whatever Happened to
Polio” as well as symposiums at the University of Michigan
(where the trials were conducted) and the University of Pittsburgh
(where the vaccine was discovered.)
In
an effort to promote the anniversary, CDC has information
related to the anniversary available on our website. The information
includes timelines, background information, links to key organizations
and general promotional materials. The information may be
found at www.cdc.gov/nip/events/polio-vacc-50th/
This
day is a powerful marker that can be used to create sustainable,
proactive awareness and action in vaccine-preventable diseases
and public health nationally and globally. As we approach
the 50th anniversary of the discovery of polio vaccine, we
have a unique opportunity to leverage history to create a
better future for our children.
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National
Infant Immunization Week
National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) will be held April
24-30, 2005. This week is set aside annually to promote, through
community events, the benefits of immunizations and highlight
the importance of vaccinating children by the age of 2. This
year, NIIW will again be held in conjunction with the Pan
American Health Organization’s Vaccination Week in the
Americas (VWA), April 23-30, 2005. The U.S. and 35 countries
in the Western Hemisphere will promote the need for routine
vaccinations for infants and children.
To
assist communities in promoting infant immunization during
NIIW-VWA, CDC has English and Spanish-language resources to
support local NIIW activities. Materials and planning tools
are available online at www.cdc.gov/nip/events/niiw/2005/05default.htm
and include
- Posters
-
Web Buttons and Banners
-
Television Public Service Announcements (PSAs); Available
online the week of March 28
-
Radio Public Service Announcements (PSAs); Available online
the week of March 28
- Sample
Key Messages
-
Sample Media Advisory
-
Sample Proclamations
-
Stickers
-
And more!
New
this year -- NIP will provide two teleconferences
so that program coordinators, health departments, coalitions,
and others can learn about the 2005 Spanish and English-language
childhood campaign materials, television PSA satellite downlink
information, and tips for local placement of the campaign,
especially through minority media outlets. Teleconferences
will be held on March 29 at noon – 1 p.m. (EST) and
March 31 at 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. (EST), and will be lead
by NIP’s childhood campaign contractor, HMA Associates,
Inc., a nationally recognized full-service multicultural marketing
firm comprised of social marketing and public relations veterans
with a variety of communications backgrounds. To register
for the teleconference and receive connection information
and materials, please email Cindy Alvarez at ctg7@cdc.gov.
Numerous
events are planned in the United States to celebrate NIIW-VWA.
Other activities are also scheduled throughout the Western
Hemisphere as part of VWA. Find out how others will celebrate
NIIW-VWA, and let us know what you are doing to promote childhood
immunization during the week by adding your events to the
national NIIW-VWA event listing located at www.cdc.gov/nip/events/niiw/2005/05activity.htm
Discontinuation
of National Reporting of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in
Children Vaccinated with Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV7)
CDC is no longer requesting reports
of cases of invasive pneumococcal disease occurring in children
who have received the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. For
the last several years, CDC has requested these reports and
has been analyzing the strains to evaluate possible vaccine
failures. Because the number of reported cases in vaccinated
children is now adequate to permit analysis, and surveillance
data indicate that the disease rates have dropped dramatically,
these reports are no longer needed. In special situations
requiring the typing of pneumococci, CDC should be contacted
at 404-639-2215. We are grateful for the efforts of those
who have participated in this reporting system during the
last few years.
CDC
Vaccine Safety Activities
CDC is taking an initial series of four steps to build a more
robust vaccine safety activity to keep pace with the increasing
number and combinations of recommended immunization, especially
for children under 2. CDC’s initial steps to strengthen
efforts to protect children’s health and safety include
the following:
- Increasing
the resources for immunization safety research and immunization
safety activities,
-
Working with sister agencies in the Department of Health
and Human Services to define vaccine safety research and
safety monitoring priorities and agenda for addressing gaps,
-
Separating the vaccine safety activity from CDC’s
immunization education and recommendation programs and moving
the vaccine safety activity to CDC’s Office of the
Chief of Science, and
-
Emphasizing the transparency of CDC’s science and
research work regarding immunization safety issues with
continued communication between it and concerned parents,
public officials, and healthcare professionals.
When
making immunization recommendations, CDC is committed to a
scientifically thorough and transparent decision process.
We intend to make our safety program even stronger and respect
ongoing input from those who share our concerns. Although
no single step can satisfy everyone, we believe these new
actions will help reassure the public that we are absolutely
committed to protecting our children’s health and safety.
IOM
Report on Vaccine Safety Research, Data Access and Public
Trust
The IOM has completed a Report on Vaccine Safety Research,
Data Access, and Public Trust. In this report, the committee
that was asked to review aspects of the Vaccine Safety Datalink
(VSD) program recommended that two new oversight groups are
needed to ensure that the policies and procedures of the VSD
and its data sharing program are implemented as fairly and
openly as possible.
CDC,
which oversees the VSD and the data sharing program, should
create a new, independent committee to review researchers’
proposals to use VSD data, monitor adherence to protocols,
and advise the agency and its partners on when and how to
release preliminary findings based on the data, the report
says.
In
addition, CDC should create a new subcommittee of the National
Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC), or tap an existing one,
to enable stakeholders to review and provide input on the
VSD research plan every year.
The
committee makes additional recommendations on specific aspects
of the VSD data sharing program and on conditions governing
whether, when, and how preliminary findings should be shared
with others. For the full report visit http://www.iom.edu/report.asp?id=25184
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