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IAC Express 2009 |
| Issue number 807: June 22, 2009 |
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Please click here to subscribe to IAC Express
as well as other FREE IAC periodicals. |
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Contents
of this Issue
Select a title to jump to the article. |
- Reminder:
Please take IAC's survey about immunization education materials
- MMWR
article reports on healthcare personnel who may have acquired novel H1N1
influenza infection from ill patients
- CDC's
novel H1N1 influenza web section is updated with guidance for
day/residential camps, PSAs on travel and leaving home when sick, and more
- WHO
reports that sanofi pasteur will donate 100 million doses of pandemic H1N1
influenza vaccine
- IAC
updates its website with redesigned hepatitis B and HPV web sections;
links to package inserts and a sortable language-locator table are also
available
- IAC adds
new Q&As to 14 of its "Ask the Experts" web sections
- IAC's
Video of the Week features a polio survivor's story about her 60 years in
an iron lung
- FDA
enforces laws to protect consumers from Internet marketing of illegal
products related to novel H1N1 influenza
- Order
laminated U.S. immunization schedules today!
- CDC
updates its online VIS fact sheet with information about new options for
distributing VISs
- Current
VIS for PPSV now available in Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian, Russian, Somali,
and Vietnamese
-
Minnesota Viral Hepatitis Symposium scheduled for July 23-24 in
Bloomington
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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 807: June 22, 2009 |
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1. |
Reminder: Please take IAC's survey about immunization education materials
A big thank-you to IAC Express readers who have
already responded to our survey, which we emailed on June 18. We appreciate
your taking time to help IAC assess thescope of available immunization
education materials and identify the topics on which materials are lacking.
If you have not yet had a chance to fill out the survey, we encourage you to
do so. Here's a link to the survey form:
http://www.immunize.org/surveypm
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2. |
MMWR article reports on healthcare personnel who may have acquired novel H1N1
influenza infection from ill patients.
CDC published "Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus
Infections
Among Healthcare Personnel--United States, April-May, 2009"
in the June 19 issue of MMWR. Portions of the article are
reprinted below.
Soon after identification of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus
infections in the United States in mid-April 2009, CDC
provided interim recommendations to reduce the risk for
transmission in healthcare settings. These included
recommendations on use of personal protective equipment
(PPE), management of healthcare personnel (HCP) after
unprotected exposures, and instruction of ill HCP not to
report to work. To better understand the risk for acquiring
infection with the virus among HCP and the impact of
infection-control recommendations, CDC solicited reports of
infected HCP from state health departments. As of May 13,
CDC had received 48 reports of confirmed or probable
infections with novel influenza A (H1N1) virus; of these, 26
reports included detailed case reports with information
regarding risk factors that might have led to infection. Of
the 26 cases, 13 (50%) HCP were deemed to have acquired
infection in a healthcare setting, including one instance of
probable HCP to HCP transmission and 12 instances of
probable or possible patient to HCP transmission. Eleven HCP
had probable or possible acquisition in the community, and
two had no reported exposures in either healthcare or
community settings. Among 11 HCP with probable or possible
patient to HCP acquisition and available information on PPE
use, only three reported always using either a surgical mask
or an N95 respirator. These findings suggest that
transmission of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus to HCP is
occurring in both healthcare and community settings and that
additional messages aimed at reinforcing current infection-control recommendations are needed. . . .
Editorial Note:
Routine infection-control recommendations to decrease the
risk for transmission of seasonal influenza to HCP include
vaccination, isolation of infected patients in single rooms,
and use of standard precautions and droplet precautions. For
infections with the novel influenza A (H1N1) virus, because
of the lack of a vaccine and little initial information
regarding the severity and transmissibility of the virus,
CDC's interim infection-control recommendations for the care
of patients with such infections have included the use of
fit-tested N95 respirators, eye protection, and contact
precautions in addition to routine infection-control
practices applied to seasonal influenza. In addition, CDC
has recommended that aerosol-generating procedures (e.g.,
bronchoscopy) should be performed in an airborne infection-isolation room with negative pressure air handling. In this
analysis, among the 11 HCP infected because of probable or
possible patient to HCP transmission for whom information
was available, none adhered to these recommended practices
completely.
Although no data are available on why recommended practices
often were not followed in these situations, similar
nonadherence with recommended PPE by HCP caring for patients
with febrile respiratory infections has been documented
previously for influenza and other respiratory infections.
Barriers to adherence can include (1) a belief that these
practices are not necessary, inconvenient, or disruptive;
(2) lack of availability of PPE; (3) inadequate training in
infection control; (4) failure to establish effective,
systematic approaches to HCP safety; and (5) failure to
recognize patients and activities that warrant specific
infection-control practices. In addition, some of the
suboptimal practices described in this report might have
occurred before CDC's interim recommendations were first
issued on April 25. . . .
These results highlight the need to maintain adherence to
comprehensive infection-control strategies to prevent
transmission of novel H1N1 in healthcare settings. These
strategies should include administrative controls (e.g.,
visitor policies and triage of potentially infectious
patients), provision of infection-control resources,
training in infection-control practices and correct use of
PPE, identification of all ill HCP, and exclusion of ill HCP
from work.
To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article,
go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5823a2.htm
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of this issue of
MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5823.pdf
To receive a FREE electronic subscription to MMWR (which
includes new ACIP recommendations), go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html
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3. |
CDC's novel H1N1 influenza web section is updated with guidance for
day/residential camps, PSAs on travel and leaving home when sick, and more
CDC recently posted new or updated information to
three sub-sections of its H1N1 Flu web section. Following are the
titles and URLs of documents that have been posted since the
June 15 issue of IAC Express.
FROM THE "H1N1 FLU CLINICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDANCE" SUB-SECTION
Interim CDC Guidance on Day and Residential Camps in
Response to Human Infections with the Novel Influenza A
(H1N1) Virus
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/camp.htm
FROM THE "NOVEL H1N1 FLU (SWINE FLU) PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENTS (PSAs)" SUB-SECTION
"H1N1 Travel Plans" is a 30-second audio that encourages
travelers who are sick with novel H1N1 influenza to stay
home, even if it means postponing their trip. It is
available in English for downloading to MP3 players; a
script is available.
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/psa/travelplans.htm
"H1N1 Leaving Home or Hotel Room" is a 30-second audio that
encourages people who are sick with novel H1N1 influenza,
but who have to leave their hotel or home to seek medical
care, to wear a face mask and take other steps to protect
others. It is available in English for downloading to MP3
players; a script is available.
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/psa/leavinghomehotel.htm
FROM THE "H1N1 FLU (SWINE FLU): GENERAL INFORMATION" SUB-SECTION
Questions & Answers: Novel H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) and You
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm
The home page of CDC's H1N1 Flu web section can be accessed
from http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu
IAC has gathered important information related to H1N1
influenza in a new web section to make it easier to keep up
to date with developments. To access this resource, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/h1n1
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4. |
WHO reports that sanofi pasteur will donate 100 million doses of pandemic
H1N1 influenza vaccine
On June 17, the website of the World Health
Organization
(WHO) posted a statement from WHO Director-General Dr.
Margaret Chan announcing that sanofi pasteur will donate 100
million doses of novel H1N1 influenza vaccine to WHO.
Portions of the statement are reprinted below.
"We welcome this very generous gesture by sanofi pasteur.
One hundred million doses of vaccine against the pandemic
H1N1 2009 virus is a sizeable and generous gesture to and on
behalf of the world's less-developed countries. WHO will now
work to ensure that this vaccine gets to groups who
otherwise would have no access to pandemic vaccines.
"It is gratifying that vaccine manufacturers are
demonstrating their solidarity with WHO in protecting the
health of the world's poorer people: influenza knows no
boundaries and so to protect people in one country is to
protect us all. . . ."
To access the entire statement, go to:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2009/vaccine_donation_20090617
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5. |
IAC updates its website with redesigned hepatitis B and HPV web sections;
links to package inserts and a sortable language-locator table are also
available
IAC recently reformatted two of its web section,
one on
human papillomavirus (HPV) disease and vaccine and the other
on hepatitis B virus disease and vaccines. IAC also has
posted two useful web pages: (1) a sortable reference table
of languages into which VISs and select IAC materials have
been translated and (2) links to package inserts posted on
vaccine manufacturers' websites. Information follows.
REDESIGNED WEB SECTIONS ON HEPATITIS B AND HPV
Each web section now offers website users easy access to
resources from IAC, other organizations, and government
agencies.
To access the redesigned hepatitis B web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/hepb
To access the redesigned HPV web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/hpv
LINKS TO PACKAGE INSERTS
Organized alphabetically by vaccine, the web page of package
inserts saves web users time: there's no need to search for
a package insert on FDA's website or on the website of a
vaccine manufacturer.
To access the web page of package inserts, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/packageinserts
SORTABLE LANGUAGE-LOCATOR TABLE
Use the table to find out if IAC provides a non-English VIS
or print material that could help you serve patients from a
given country. The table associates and lists only those
countries with non-English language translations currently
offered by IAC. IAC produces non-English VISs in 36
languages and select print materials in 12 languages.
To access the language-locator table, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/vis_language_table.asp
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6. |
IAC adds new Q&As to 14 of its "Ask the Experts" web sections
IAC recently updated 14 of its "Ask the Experts"
web sections with new Q&As. The titles of the 14 sections appear below, along
with the corresponding URLs.
For the "Ask the Experts: General" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_general.asp
For the "Ask the Experts: Combination vaccines" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_combo.asp
For the "Ask the Experts: Diphtheria" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_diph.asp
For the "Ask the Experts: Hepatitis A" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_hepa.asp
For the "Ask the Experts: Hepatitis B" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_hepb.asp
For the "Ask the Experts: Human papillomavirus" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_hpv.asp
For the "Ask the Experts: Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_mmr.asp
For the "Ask the Experts: Meningococcal disease" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_men.asp
For the "Ask the Experts: Pertussis" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_per.asp
For the "Ask the Experts: Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV)" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_pcv.asp
For the "Ask the Experts: Pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPSV)" web section, go
to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_ppv.asp
For the "Ask the Experts: Tetanus" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_tet.asp
For the "Ask the Experts: Varicella (chickenpox)" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_var.asp
For the "Ask the Experts: Zoster (shingles)" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_zos.asp
To access the index page for the entire "Ask the Experts" web section, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts
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7. |
IAC's Video of the Week features a polio survivor's story
about her 60 years in an iron lung
IAC encourages IAC Express readers to watch a
2-minute video about polio survivor Martha Mason, who lived in an iron lung
from age 11 until her death in May 2009 at age 71. A 4-minute audio
retrospective of Ms. Mason's life was broadcast on National Public Radio
(NPR) shortly after her death; a link to it is given at the end of this IAC
Express article.
The video will be available on the home page of IAC's website through June
28. To access it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org and click on the image under the words Video of
the Week, which you'll find toward the top of the page. It may take a few
moments for the video to begin playing; please be patient!
Remember to bookmark IAC's home page to view a new video every Monday. While
you're at our home page, we encourage you to browse around--you're sure to
find resources and information that will enhance your practice's immunization
delivery.
All the videos featured as an IAC Video of the Week have recently been
archived in a new section of IAC's website. To view any of the videos
previously featured, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/votw/may09.asp
To access the NPR audio retrospective, go to:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104032600
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8. |
FDA
enforces laws to protect consumers from Internet marketing of illegal products
related to novel H1N1 influenza
On June 15, FDA issued a news release titled "FDA
Warns Web
Sites against Marketing Fraudulent H1N1 Flu Virus Claims." A
portion of the news release is reprinted below.
On May 1, 2009, the FDA warned consumers regarding products
related to the 2009 H1N1 flu virus offered on the Internet.
The products involved are those that are promoted and
marketed to diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat, or cure the
2009 H1N1 flu virus but are not approved, cleared, or
authorized by the FDA. The agency advised operators of
offending Web sites that they must take immediate action to
ensure that they are not marketing products intended to
diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat, or cure the 2009 H1N1
flu virus that have not been cleared, approved, or
authorized by the FDA.
Since then, the FDA has issued more than 50 warning letters
to offending Web sites and as a result, more than 66 percent
of these Web sites have removed the offending claims and/or
products. . . .
The FDA will consider further civil or criminal enforcement
action against those Web sites that fail to resolve the
violations cited in warning letters. Actions could include
seizure, injunction, and criminal prosecution.
For more information:
FDA's Fraudulent H1N1 Influenza Virus Products List:
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/h1n1flu
Browse Warning Letters for:
Unapproved/Uncleared/Unauthorized Products Related to the
H1N1 Flu Virus:
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/warningletters/wlFilterBySubject.cfm
Report Suspected Fraudulent Products or Criminal Activity
Associated with H1N1 Flu Virus (Swine Flu):
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/CriminalInvestigations/ucm162855.htm
To access the entire news release, go to:
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm166801.htm
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9. |
Order laminated U.S. immunization schedules today!
IAC has two laminated immunization schedules for
2009--one
for children/teens ages 0 through 18 years and one for
adults. Based on CDC's 2009 immunization schedules, the
laminated schedules offer two significant advantages over
paper schedules:
(1) They are covered with a tough, washable coating that
lets them stand up to a year's worth of use as at-your-fingertips guides to immunization and as teaching tools you
can use to give patients and parents authoritative
immunization information.
(2) Each schedule includes a guide to vaccine
contraindications and precautions, an additional feature
that will help you to make on-the-spot determinations about
vaccinating patients of any age.
IAC's laminated schedules come complete with essential
footnotes and are printed in color for easy reading. Each
schedule has six pages (i.e., three double-sided pages), and
when folded, measures 8.5" x 11".
For specific information about the child/teen schedule, to
view images of it, or to order online or download an order
form, visit http://www.immunize.org/shop/schedule_child.asp
For specific information about the adult schedule, to view
images of it, or to order online or download an order form,
visit http://www.immunize.org/shop/schedule_adult.asp
Prices start at $10 each for 1-4 copies and drop to $6.50
each for 5-19 copies. Discount pricing is available for 20
or more copies. For quotes on customizing or placing orders
in excess of 999 schedules, call (651) 647-9009 or email
admininfo@immunize.org
To learn about other essential immunization resources
available for purchase from IAC, such as personal
immunization record cards, padded screening questionnaires,
and educational videos, go to: http://www.immunize.org/shop
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10. |
CDC updates its online VIS fact sheet with information about new options for
distributing VISs
On June 16, CDC updated its comprehensive online
"Fact Sheet for Vaccine Information Statements." The Provider
Responsibilities Section of the fact sheet now has information regarding new
options for distributing VISs. The new options include (1) using permanent
(e.g., laminated) copies for patients to read in the medical office and (2)
allowing patients the option of downloading VISs to their personal mobile
devices instead of giving them paper copies to take with them.
To access the updated fact sheet, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/vis-facts.htm
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11. |
Current VIS for PPSV now available in Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian, Russian,
Somali, and Vietnamese
Dated 4/16/09, the VIS for pneumococcal
polysaccharide
vaccine (PPSV) is now available in Cambodian, Hmong,
Laotian, Russian, Somali, and Vietnamese. IAC gratefully
acknowledges the Minnesota Department of Health for the
translations.
To access the Cambodian version of the VIS for PPSV, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/ca_pne97.pdf
To access the Hmong version of the VIS for PPSV, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/hm_pne97.pdf
To access the Laotian version of the VIS for PPSV, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/la_pne97.pdf
To access the Russian version of the VIS for PPSV, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/ru_pne97.pdf
To access the Somali version of the VIS for PPSV, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/so_pne97.pdf
To access the Vietnamese version of the VIS for PPSV, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/vn_pne97.pdf
To access the English version of the VIS for PPSV, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/pneum3.pdf
NOTE: The 6/16/09 VIS for PPSV vaccine comes in additional
languages, including Spanish. To access them, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vis/vis_ppsv.asp Click on the link
to the pertinent language.
For information about the use of VISs, and for VISs in more
than 35 languages, visit IAC's VIS web section at
http://www.immunize.org/vis
For general information about VISs from CDC's website go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis
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12. |
Minnesota Viral Hepatitis Symposium scheduled for July 23-24 in Bloomington
The Minnesota Viral Hepatitis Symposium will be
held in
Bloomington on July 23-24. It is presented by the Upper
Midwest chapter of the American Liver Foundation and the
Minnesota Department of Health.
The deadline for early registration is July 1.
For comprehensive information, including registration
information, go to:
http://www.liverfoundation.org/chapters/upper_midwest/events/474
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