Issue Number 239            April 24, 2001

CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE

  1. IOM releases report on MMR and autism
  2. House schedules autism hearing for April 25-26
  3. IAC needs your help in updating its Directory of National Immunization Resources

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(1)
April 24, 2001
IOM RELEASES REPORT ON MMR AND AUTISM

Institute of Medicine's Immunization Safety Review Committee released its report "Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine and Autism" on April 23, 2001, at the National Academy Sciences offices in Washington, DC. The committee, a 15-member body of health professionals with wide-ranging relevant expertise, investigated the hypothesized link between MMR vaccine and autism. The report concluded: "A consistent body of epidemiological evidence shows no association at a population level between MMR and autistic spectrum disorders." Nor did the committee find any proven biological mechanisms that would explain such a relationship.

The report states: "The committee does not recommend a policy review at this time of the licensure of MMR vaccine or of the current schedule and recommendations for administration of MMR vaccine."

The committee's findings echo those of other national and international medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, and British health authorities.

In addition to these findings, the report calls for more targeted research efforts and rigorous data-collection procedures to help give scientists a better understanding of MMR vaccine and any possible side effects, as well as active communication of health information to the public by agencies such as the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

For a copy of the report, visit: http://www.iom.edu/imsafety

For another summary of the report, visit the National Network for Immunization Information's feature article at: http://www.immunizationinfo.org/features/index.cfm?ID=26

For more information on vaccines and autism, visit CDC's website at: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vacsafe/concerns/autism/ and the Immunization Action Coalition's vaccine safety page at: http://www.immunize.org/genr.d/vaxsafe.htm
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(2)
April 24, 2001
HOUSE SCHEDULES AUTISM HEARING FOR APRIL 25-26

On April 25-26, 2001, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform will convene a hearing titled, "Autism--Why the Increased Rates? A One Year Update." This hearing is a follow-up to the hearing, "The Challenges of Autism--Why the Increased Rates?" held by the Committee in April 2000. This hearing is expected to address issues related to immunization and vaccines, including hypotheses related to MMR and autism, thimerosal and autism, and vaccines that contain thimerosal as a preservative. Experts from the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Immunization Safety, CDC, FDA, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are expected to testify.

Additional information on the hearing will eventually be posted on the Committee's website: http://www.house.gov/reform/
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(3)
April 24, 2001
IAC NEEDS YOUR HELP IN UPDATING ITS "DIRECTORY OF NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION RESOURCES"

The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) is updating its DIRECTORY OF NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION RESOURCES for distribution at the upcoming National Immunization Conference, which will be held in Atlanta, May 29-June 1.

First published October 2000, this 50-page guide highlights the best immunization resources available from government, professional organizations, nonprofit groups, and private industry. To keep the information as current as possible, IAC is soliciting your help in collecting any updates, corrections, or suggestions for additional listings.

To access the current online web text (HTML) version of the complete directory, go to: http://www.immunize.org/resources/contents.htm

To access the directory in a camera-ready (PDF) version, go to: http://www.immunize.org/resources/resource.pdf

WARNING: The PDF format of the entire publication is a very large file and some printers are unable to print a file of this size. For some helpful tips on downloading and printing PDF files, click here: http://www.immunize.org/nslt.d/tips.htm

To order a hard copy by mail, visit: http://www.immunize.org/resources/

To offer changes or additions, please call (651) 647-9009, fax (651) 647-9131, or email admin@immunize.org

About IZ Express

IZ Express is supported in part by Grant No. 1NH23IP922654 from CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Its contents are solely the responsibility of Immunize.org and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC.

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Editorial Information

  • Editor-in-Chief
    Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH
  • Managing Editor
    John D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD
  • Associate Editor
    Sharon G. Humiston, MD, MPH
  • Writer/Publication Coordinator
    Taryn Chapman, MS
    Courtnay Londo, MA
  • Style and Copy Editor
    Marian Deegan, JD
  • Web Edition Managers
    Arkady Shakhnovich
    Jermaine Royes
  • Contributing Writer
    Laurel H. Wood, MPA
  • Technical Reviewer
    Kayla Ohlde

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