Frequently Asked Questions |
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IAC answers your questions |
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| Answers |
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| Q: |
Where can I find all
the ready-to-print handouts available from IAC? |
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Go to www.immunize.org/handouts |
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All our print pieces are available in the web section titled Handouts. |
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For quick access to our
handouts, go to the following sections:
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| Q: |
How can I quickly find the most recently developed or revised IAC educational materials? |
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Go to www.immunize.org/new All new or updated materials on the
website (including VISs) are listed with the most recent items first. To
be notified whenever a piece is developed or updated, please subscribe to
our free weekly electronic news service, IAC Express. To sign up, go to www.immunize.org/subscribe |
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| Q: |
How can I receive
copies of your email newsletter and periodicals? |
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IAC publishes a
weekly email newsletter and two online publications. To
subscribe today, please visit
www.immunize.org/subscribe |
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| IAC Express: A
highly-praised email news service delivered every Monday,
covering the latest news and information about U.S.
vaccine recommendations and policies. You can download the
most recent copy and back issues at
www.immunize.org/express |
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Needle Tips: A
quarterly online publication for health professionals who
provide immunization services to children or adults. You
can download the most recent copy and back issues at
www.immunize.org/nt |
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| Vaccinate Adults: A
quarterly online publication for adult medicine
specialists. You can download the most recent copy and
back issues at
www.immunize.org/va |
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| Q: |
I need a Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) in one of the 6,912 known living languages. Please help me! |
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| All available VISs in English and translations are
available at www.immunize.org/vis Currently, we have more than 40 languages available in
print and a few in alternative formats, such as audio. |
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| Most of the translated VISs have been provided to us, gratis, to share on our website. IAC is a small,
nonprofit organization, and we have limited funding available for translations. If you have a need for a
particular language that is not available, consider having it translated yourself and then sharing it with the
world via this website! |
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| Please note that unique VISs do not exist for certain combination vaccines (e.g., Comvax, Pediarix), so in
instances like these you should provide a VIS for each vaccine component. Also, a VIS is not released for
a new vaccine until after the ACIP has voted on recommendations for its use. |
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| To be notified whenever CDC releases a new VIS, or whenever a new translation becomes available,
please subscribe to our free weekly electronic news service, IAC Express.
please go to www.immunize.org/subscribe |
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| Q: |
I'm having trouble
locating one of my favorite IAC handouts. |
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| There are many resources
available on our website and it can be hard to quickly
find what you want! Here are some hints: |
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All our
print pieces are available in the web section titled Handouts. |
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For quick access to our
handouts, go to the following sections:
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If you're having trouble finding the piece by scrolling, try hitting "Ctrl," then the letter "f" on your keyboard and key in one word of the title or the item number. You should find all matches. |
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You can also use the "Search" box on the home page. |
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If you don't have any luck with the IAC search engine, go to www.google.com and type in part of the
title. |
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Call or email us for help! Telephone:
(651) 647-9009, email: admin@immunize.org |
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Once you find your favorite pieces,
bookmark them as one of your "favorites." When we update any piece, we
are careful to always keep the URL the same, so by saving the address of
a piece, you will always be directed to the most recent edition. |
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| Q: |
I'm a healthcare worker with a question about my hepatitis B vaccination. Spacing of doses, length of immunity, serologic testing after vaccination, titer results, non-response, chronic infection, postexposure prophylaxis, etc. |
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| Q: |
Do patients need to
sign consents before receiving vaccines? |
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| Usually not. Federal law mandates the recording of certain information about each vaccination (e.g.,
manufacturer, lot number), and the provision of the appropriate Vaccine Information Statement(s); but
there is no federal law requiring a parent/patient signature. However, providers should check with their
state immunization program to determine whether additional requirements exist under state law. For
phone numbers, go to: www.immunize.org/coordinators |
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| IAC offers vaccine administration chart records that include space for all federally required information. |
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Vaccine Administration Record for Children and Teens
Vaccine Administration Record for Adults |
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| Q: |
Where can I get
standing orders for all vaccines? |
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| IAC has developed a
number of sample standing orders that can be accessed at www.immunize.org/standing-orders |
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| All these
documents and more are also found on our "Handouts" web
section at www.immunize.org/handouts |
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| For
additional standing orders, you might check with your
state immunization coordinator or professional
association. |
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| To be
notified whenever IAC develops a new resource (including
possible additional standing orders), please subscribe to
our free weekly electronic news service, IAC Express. |
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| Back to top |
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| Q: |
I have a patient from one of the approximately 192 countries outside of the U.S. He/she has an immunization record, but I can't read it. |
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| Q: |
Where can I get educational videos to show to parents? |
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| IAC has collected 250 photographs and almost 100 video clips related to vaccine-preventable diseases
and made them available online. |
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Photograph collection: www.immunize.org/photos
Video collection: www.vaccineinformation.org/videos |
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| The Vaccine Education Center (VEC), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has developed two excellent
videos for parents. These can be viewed online in segments. |
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Vaccines: Separating Fact from Fear
Vaccines and Your Baby |
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| Both videos are also available in Spanish. These videos can be purchased from VEC at a nominal cost;
ordering information can be found on the pages listed above. |
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| Q: |
I need to give a presentation about immunization. Help! |
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| IAC has collected a number of PowerPoint presentations about immunization issues and vaccine-preventable diseases. Some of these are targeted toward healthcare professionals and others are intended
for the general public. All of the featured presentations are in the public domain, although we
recommend you give credit to the source when using the material. You may wish to mix and match the
information from several presentations to meet your need. Go to: www.immunize.org/presentations |
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| In addition, you may want to use photographs or video clips from IAC's collections. Please note that not
all of these are in the public domain. Photographs or videos accompanied by text that reads "Courtesy of .
. . " may be used without further permission. Please credit the appropriate source. Photographs or videos
accompanied by text that reads "Copyright . . ." may not be reprinted without permission. Please contact
the source (not IAC) for permission to reprint copyrighted material. |
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Photograph collection: www.immunize.org/photos
Video collection: www.vaccineinformation.org/videos |
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| Q: |
I am confused about some aspect of vaccine storage, handling, or administration. Where can I find answers? |
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| There are several resources available. |
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Immunization Techniques: Best Practices with Infants, Children, and Adults (DVD) is available for purchase from IAC. Created by the California Department of Public Health, Immunization Branch, 2010, this 25-minute DVD video presents detailed information on administering injectable, oral, and nasal vaccines to people of all ages. Highlights of the video include: |
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Preparing vaccine products |
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Identifying correct needle lengths, insertion angles, and injection sites |
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Documenting immunizations manually and online |
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Communicating with patients and parents |
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Vaccine Storage and Handling Training Materials The Vaccine Storage and
Handling Toolkit CD-ROM, created by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, provides you with everything you want to know about vaccine storage
and handling in one CD with the following features: |
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22 min. 55 sec. run-time |
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Guidelines for vaccine storage and handling |
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Video:
"How
to Protect Your Vaccine Supply" |
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Video:
"Top 10 Storage and Handling Errors" |
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Interactive
game and resources including forms, checklists,
posters, and contact information |
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One CD-ROM copy is available free from CDC,
go to: wwwn.cdc.gov/pubs/NCIRD.aspx |
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Resources from many organizations about
vaccine handling, storage, and administration can be accessed at www.immunize.org/providing-vaccinations. |
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| Still Have Questions? |
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Ask the Experts
Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) answer challenging and timely questions about vaccines and their administration. |
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CDC-INFO: 800.232.4636
Call this 24 hours/7 days a week, toll-free number to request information on immunization. The number is 800-232-4636 (800-CDC-INFO). This is an integrated CDC hotline service. Callers to this number are given several options, one of which is immunization. This line will accommodate English and Spanish. |
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EMAIL CDC: nipinfo@cdc.gov
If you are a health professional with a technical question about vaccines or immunization, please email CDC's immunization experts. |
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EMAIL IAC: admin@immunize.org
If you don't find an answer to your question here, please email us. |
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CONTACT: State Immunization Coordinators
Your local and state health department immunization programs are also available to answer your questions. Visit the above link for a list of phone numbers for state health department immunization programs. |
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| This page was reviewed on May 19, 2011 |
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