Issue
Number 524
May 9, 2005
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- FDA approves Boostrix, a tetanus toxoid, reduced
diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine intended for teens
- May 9-16 is the first National Hepatitis B Awareness
Week; "AIM for the B" campaign is planned for the same time
- New: Spanish-language childhood and adolescent
immunization schedule available on NIP's website
- Important: May 27 is the deadline for submitting
abstracts for the National Viral Hepatitis Prevention Conference
- New: 2003 SMART BRFSS data and prevalence tables now
available
- Updated: IAC revises some of its professional- and
patient-education pieces
- Subscribe to more than 20 email news services using
IAC's Directory of Immunization Resources
- New: Documents related to the Blue Ribbon Panel meeting
about CDC's vaccine safety activities now online
- CDC Health Update announces destruction of influenza
A(H2N2) samples mistakenly included with proficiency test panels
- Scheduled for June 13-15 in Atlanta, conference on
public health law will include sessions on vaccine safety
- Vaccines 2005 conference to be held in Amsterdam June
13-15
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ABBREVIATIONS: AAFP, American Academy of Family Physicians; AAP, American
Academy of Pediatrics; ACIP, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices;
CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; FDA, Food and Drug
Administration; IAC, Immunization Action Coalition; MMWR, Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report; NIP, National Immunization Program; VIS, Vaccine
Information Statement; VPD, vaccine-preventable disease; WHO, World Health
Organization.
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May 9, 2005
FDA APPROVES BOOSTRIX, A TETANUS TOXOID, REDUCED DIPHTHERIA TOXOID, AND
ACELLULAR PERTUSSIS VACCINE INTENDED FOR TEENS
On May 3, FDA approved GlaxoSmithKline's biologics license application for
Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid, and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine,
Adsorbed (Tdap). Marketed as Boostrix, the single-dose product is indicated
for active booster immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis
for individuals ages 10-18 years. It is anticipated that ACIP will discuss
the use of this vaccine at its June 29-30 meeting.
To access the licensing action from the FDA website, go to:
http://www.fda.gov/cber/products/tdapgla050305.htm
To access the FDA approval letter, go to:
http://www.fda.gov/cber/approvltr/tdapgla050305L.htm
To access the prescribing information, go to:
http://www.fda.gov/cber/label/tdapgla050305LB.pdf
To access the FDA Talk Paper, go to:
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2005/ANS01354.html
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May 9, 2005
MAY 9-16 IS THE FIRST NATIONAL HEPATITIS B AWARENESS WEEK; "AIM FOR THE B"
CAMPAIGN IS PLANNED FOR THE SAME TIME
The Hepatitis B Foundation (HBF) recently announced that the U.S. Congress
has designated May 9-16 as the first National Hepatitis B Awareness Week. A
public awareness campaign, "AIM for the B," sponsored by HBF and
Bristol-Myers Squibb, is scheduled for the same time. The campaign includes
events in four U.S. cities that have a high prevalence of chronic hepatitis
B virus infection: Philadelphia, PA; New York, NY; San Jose, CA; and San
Francisco, CA. Following is excerpted information from the HBF website about
both the awareness week and the awareness campaign.
*********************
FIRST NATIONAL HEPATITIS B AWARENESS WEEK
May 9-16, 2005
For the first time, the U.S. Congress issued a resolution designating May
9-16, 2005, as National Hepatitis B Awareness Week. The resolution calls for
Americans to observe the week with programs and activities to raise
awareness about hepatitis B as an important public health concern. It also
seeks to highlight the potentially life-threatening consequences of chronic
hepatitis B and the urgency to seek appropriate care. . . .
The resolution specifically recognizes the need for a comprehensive public
education and awareness campaign for patients and physicians in order to
help increase the length and quality of life [of] those diagnosed with
chronic hepatitis B. . . .
"AIM FOR THE B" CAMPAIGN SPOTLIGHTS HEPATITIS B
"AIM for the B" (Awareness, Involvement, and Mobilization for Chronic
Hepatitis B) is a public awareness program that will take place May 9-16,
2005, to coincide with National Hepatitis B Awareness Week. Local
physicians, patients, and third-party organizations will gather to share
their experiences with the disease, and discuss the importance of early
diagnosis and care. . . .
*********************
To access the announcement about National Hepatitis B Awareness Week and the
text of the Congressional resolution, go to:
http://www.hepb.org/about/week.htm
To access the announcement about the "AIM for the B" campaign, go to:
http://www.hepb.org/about/aim.htm
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May 9, 2005
NEW: SPANISH-LANGUAGE CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENT IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULE
AVAILABLE ON NIP'S WEBSITE
On April 29, NIP posted on its website a one-page Spanish-language version
of the Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule, United
States, 2005. To access it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/recs/child-schedule_sp.pdf
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May 9, 2005
IMPORTANT: MAY 27 IS THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING ABSTRACTS FOR THE NATIONAL
VIRAL HEPATITIS PREVENTION CONFERENCE
Abstracts are being solicited for presentation at the National Viral
Hepatitis Prevention Conference, which will be held December 5-9, 2005, in
Washington, D.C.
The theme for the conference is "Viral Hepatitis Prevention at All Stages of
Life." Presentations will be organized into the following six tracks:
- Perinatal and infant hepatitis B
prevention
- Viral hepatitis prevention for children
- Viral hepatitis prevention for
adolescents/high-risk youth
- Viral hepatitis prevention for adults;
delivering, implementing, and evaluating prevention and control strategies
and services
- Education, training, and outreach for
viral hepatitis prevention and control
- Other/cross cutting: hepatitis prevention
and control
Abstract submission deadline is Friday, May
27, 2005, midnight Pacific Time.
For more information, visit the conference website at
http://www.nvhpc.com
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May 9, 2005
NEW: 2003 SMART BRFSS DATA AND PREVALENCE TABLES NOW AVAILABLE
CDC's Behavioral Surveillance Branch recently announced the release of the
2003 SMART BRFSS data and prevalence tables. The SMART (Selected
Metropolitan/Micropolitan Area Risk Trends) project uses the BRFSS
(Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System) to analyze the data of
selected metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas (MMSAs) with 500
or more respondents. It now includes data from 2002 and 2003, with
prevalence estimates for more than 120 MMSAs, as well as for counties
within those areas.
In addition to containing the data sets and prevalence tables for MMSAs
and counties, the SMART BRFSS web section includes pre-set Quick View
charts that compare county, MMSA, and state data for seven select risk
factors. Among the risk factors charted is the percentage of adults age 65
years and older who report not having received influenza vaccination
within the past 12 months.
To access the SMART BRFSS web section, go to:
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss-smart
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May 9, 2005
UPDATED: IAC REVISES SOME OF ITS PROFESSIONAL- AND PATIENT-EDUCATION
PIECES
IAC recently revised its professional-education piece "It's federal law!
You must give your patients current Vaccine Information Statements (VISs)"
and the English- and Spanish-language versions of its parent-education
piece "Immunizations for Babies . . . A Guide for Parents."
1. To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of "It's federal law! You must
give your patients current Vaccine Information Statements (VISs)," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/2027law.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/2027law.htm
2. To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of "Immunizations for Babies .
. . A Guide for Parents," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4010imm.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4010.htm
3. To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of "Vacunas para Bebes . . .
Una guia para los padres," go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4010-01imm.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version of it, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4010-01.htm
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May 9, 2005
SUBSCRIBE TO MORE THAN 20 EMAIL NEWS SERVICES USING IAC'S DIRECTORY OF
IMMUNIZATION RESOURCES
IAC's recently revised Directory of Immunization Resources now includes
current information about more than 20 email news services (such as CDC's
MMWR and the National Network for Immunization Information's "Immunization
Newsbriefs") that focus on various aspects of immunization. The email news
services listed include those produced by U.S. government agencies,
professional societies, and nonprofits, as well as by international
nonprofits, non-governmental agencies, and others. Each entry includes a
brief description of a news service and a URL that links to subscription
information.
To access the email news services portion of IAC's Directory of
Immunization Resources, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/resources/e-mail.asp
To access the complete directory, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/resources
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May 9, 2005
NEW: DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE BLUE RIBBON PANEL MEETING ABOUT CDC'S
VACCINE SAFETY ACTIVITIES NOW ONLINE
CDC's Office of the Chief Science Officer recently announced that on April
27 the CDC website posted two documents related to the Blue Ribbon Panel
meeting that assessed CDC's vaccine safety activities. The documents are
the Blue Ribbon Panel Meeting Summary Report and the Summary Report on
Public Comments.
To access the Blue Ribbon Panel Meeting Summary Report, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/od/ads/brpr/brprsumm.htm
To access the Summary Report on Public Comments, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/od/ads/brpr/brprcomm.htm
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May 9, 2005
CDC HEALTH UPDATE ANNOUNCES DESTRUCTION OF INFLUENZA A(H2N2) SAMPLES
MISTAKENLY INCLUDED WITH PROFICIENCY TEST PANELS
On May 3, CDC released an official CDC Health Update that reported that
all influenza A(H2N2) samples that were mistakenly included with
laboratory proficiency test panels distributed to U.S. and international
laboratories from October 2004 through March 2005 have been accounted for
and destroyed. In addition, there have been no confirmed reports of
H2N2-related illness associated with possible exposure to the samples. The
Department of Health and Human Services and WHO are continuing
investigations to determine how the situation occurred and how to prevent
similar incidents from occurring in the future.
Titled "CDC Health Update: Destruction of influenza A(H2N2) proficiency
testing samples; interim guidance for Biosafety Level 3-enhanced
biocontainment for work with human influenza A(H2N2) viruses," the update
is available on the website of the Health Alert Network (HAN).
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/han050305.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/han050305.htm
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May 9, 2005
SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13-15 IN ATLANTA, CONFERENCE ON PUBLIC HEALTH LAW WILL
INCLUDE SESSIONS ON VACCINE SAFETY
CDC published "Notice to Readers: Fourth Annual Conference on Public
Health Law--June 13-15, 2005" in the May 6 issue of MMWR. The notice is
reprinted below in its entirety.
***********************
The CDC Public Health Law Program and the American Society of Law,
Medicine, and Ethics, along with collaborating organizations, are
sponsoring the fourth annual conference on "The Public's Health and the
Law in the 21st Century," June 13-15, 2005, at the Sheraton Midtown
Atlanta Hotel at Colony Square in Atlanta, Georgia. The conference will
focus on innovative legal tools for improved public health, with emphasis
on information participants can use in day-to-day practice.
Participants and faculty include public health practitioners and medical
professionals, attorneys, judges, elected officials, emergency management
and law enforcement professionals, and researchers. Speakers and faculty
will include representatives from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,
World Health Organization, American Medical Association, Public Health
Service, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Georgetown
University Law Center, Center for Genetics and Health Policy at Vanderbilt
University, and Cable News Network.
Sessions will cover legal and policy issues, including the following:
public health emergencies, hospital infection control, quarantine,
migration, obesity and cardiovascular disease, domestic violence and
sexual victimization of youth, alcohol-related child motor-vehicle injury,
newborn screening, vaccine safety, use of drugs in school settings, and
use of international trade agreements for public health purposes.
Continuing education credits will be offered.
Final day for early registration is May 10. Additional information is
available at
http://www.phppo.cdc.gov/od/phlp/conference/con2005_overview.asp
or by email from KMcCarthy2@cdc.gov
***********************
To access a web-text (HTML) version of the notice, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5417a6.htm
To access a ready-to-print (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5417.pdf
To receive a FREE electronic subscription to MMWR (which includes new ACIP
statements), go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html
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May 9, 2005
VACCINES 2005 CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN AMSTERDAM JUNE 13-15
Sponsored by IBC Life Sciences, Vaccines 2005 is planned for June 13-15 in
Amsterdam. The main themes concern manufacturing, therapeutics, and
regulatory updates.
For comprehensive information, including online registration, conference
agenda and workshops, and accommodations, go to:
http://www.ibc-lifesci.com/vaccines |
