If you aren't able to download VISs from your computer, you can get currently available camera-ready copies from your state immunization program manager. If you need your state program manager's name and/or phone number, click here: http://www.immunize.org/nslt.d/n18/coord18.htm.
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July 28, 1998
CDC RELEASES NEW VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENT (VIS) ON INFLUENZA VACCINE FOR 1998-99

Download the 1998-99 Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) for influenza vaccine from the National Immunization Program's website. Click here: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/VIS/vis-flu.pdf for a camera-ready copy. Influenza season is just around the corner so start getting prepared ahead of time by having your paperwork ready!

If you aren't able to download this VIS from your computer, you can get a camera-ready copy from your state immunization program manager. If you need your state program manager's name and/or phone number, click here: http://www.immunize.org/nslt.d/n18/coord18.htm.
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(3)
July 28, 1998
CDC/NIP RESOURCE REQUEST LIST AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET OR BY FAX

No more waiting for the National Immunization Program to mail you a list of what immunization resources they have available. You can now get the list by fax or on the Internet! The resources are all free and include vaccine recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Vaccine Information Statements, the childhood immunization schedule, standards for pediatric immunization practices, videos, posters, and more. You can only get one copy of each item but everything is in the public domain so you can make as many copies as you wish.

If you can't get a copy off the Internet, you can get a copy by fax. Dial CDC's fax line at 1-888-232-3299. The recording will ask you if you know the number of the document. You do! The document number is 130011. Just follow the simple prompts and the resource list will arrive by fax shortly after you hang up.
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(4)
July 28, 1998
GET A COPY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S "ADULT IMMUNIZATION ACTION PLAN" AND FIND OUT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP!

Every year in the United States over 60,000 people die of complications of influenza, pneumococcal infection, and hepatitis B. It's a deplorable fact but there is a national plan to address this problem. The Department of Human Services convened a work group on adult immunization. The work group has developed a concrete plan to increase immunization rates in the adult population.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, Health Resources and Services Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Vaccine Program Office, and 12 other government agencies have committed staff time and energy to work on the following adult immunization goals:

I. Increase the demand for adult vaccination by improving provider and public awareness.
II. Increase the capacity of the health care delivery system to effectively deliver vaccines to adults.
III. Expand financing mechanisms to support the increased delivery of vaccines to adults.
IV. Monitor and improve the performance of the nation's immunization program.
V. Enhance the capability and capacity to conduct research of (1) vaccine-preventable diseases of adults, (2) adult vaccines, (3) adult immunization practices, (4) new and improved vaccines, (5) international programs for adult immunization.

The plan includes concrete action steps to see that the goals are met. It also lists which agencies are responsible for implementing these action steps. If you are interested in increasing adult immunization rates on a local, state, regional, or national level, you ought to get a copy of this plan. To obtain a copy of the "Adult Immunization Action Plan" from the National Vaccine Program Office, request this document from Steve Sepe at sjs2@cdc.gov or click here mailto:sjs2@cdc.gov or from Bill Digioia, wbd0@cdc.gov or click here mailto:wbd0@cdc.gov.   They will e-mail you an attachment containing this document.
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July 28, 1998
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NATIONAL VACCINE INJURY COMPENSATION PROGRAM

The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 (the Act) established the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) in 1988 to compensate those individuals, or families of individuals, who have been injured by vaccines, whether administered in the private or public sector.

Do you know which vaccines are covered? What documentation vaccine administrators are required to keep? Click here http://www.hrsa.dhhs.gov/bhpr/vicp/ for answers to these questions as well as other detailed and useful information about the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Act. To obtain an information packet detailing how to file a claim, criteria for eligibility, and the documentation required, call 1-800-338-2382.
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(6)
July 28, 1998
"WEEKLY EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RECORD" IS FREE ON THE INTERNET

A free electronic subscription to the "Weekly Epidemiological Record" (WER) published by the World Health Organization will give you a weekly detailed picture of what's happening with vaccine-preventable diseases worldwide. To view WER, the program Adobe Acrobat Reader is required. Click here http://www.who.int/wer/ to receive directions about how to start receiving the "Weekly Epidemiologic Record."

WER also offers an automatic e-mail service through which you are notified of the table of contents of WER and short epidemiological bulletins. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to majordomo@who.ch or click here: mailto:majordomo@who.ch. The subject field may be left blank and the body of the message should contain only the line SUBSCRIBE WER-REH. Subscribers will be sent a copy of the table of contents of WER automatically each week,  together with other items of interest.
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July 28, 1998
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF TRAVEL MEDICINE'S WEBSITE PROVIDES IN-DEPTH INFORMATION

No need to travel all over the worldwide web to get information on international travel medicine. Just click on the International Society of Travel Medicine's (ISTM) home page http://www.istm.org/ for the latest global health news reported from the World Health  Organization and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Information includes where the travel clinics are located in your area, a listing of ISTM publications, information on the 6th Conference of the ISTM, which will be held in Montreal next June.  ISTM is the largest organization of professionals dedicated to the advancement of the specialty of travel medicine and is committed to the promotion of healthy and safe travel.