News and Media Resources:
Immunization Works! July 2005 issue
On This Page:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Immunization Works Monthly Update is provided to national health care provider and consumer groups for distribution to their members and constituencies. The immunization information provided is non-proprietary and is encouraged to be widely disseminated and shared.
Influenza Vaccine Injuries Are Added to Federal Compensation Program
People thought to be injured by influenza vaccines given annually will be eligible for compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), effective July 1, 2005, with retroactive coverage for those vaccinated in the previous eight years.
The VICP, created by Congress in 1986 as an alternative to traditional civil litigation, provides financial compensation to eligible individuals thought to be injured by covered childhood vaccines. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration.
Influenza is a serious disease affecting people of all ages. Each year in the United States, it causes 36,000 deaths and more than 200,000 hospitalizations. Yearly influenza vaccination is recommended as the best way to reduce the chances of getting influenza for children aged 6-23 months, adults aged 65 years and older, and others.
Most people who receive the vaccine experience no serious problems. However, a vaccine, like any medicine, may rarely cause serious problems such as severe allergic reactions. In those rare cases, the VICP provides compensation to those found to be seriously injured.
To access the Federal Register notice announcing coverage of the influenza vaccine under the VICP, to learn how to file a claim, or to obtain more information on the program, please visit www.hrsa.gov/osp/vicp or call 1-800-338-2382.
Other Immunization News
Could UK Mumps Outbreak Impact US?
The United Kingdom is experiencing a large outbreak of mumps. Since 2003, reported mumps cases in England and Wales have been on the rise. During the 1990’s only a few hundred cases were reported annually. In 2004, 16,000 cases were reported, and as of June 17th, the current total for 2005 is 40,367. Most impacted are young adults 19-23 years of age, who are too old to have received two doses of MMR vaccine in the UK’s national vaccination program.
In the United States, high MMR vaccination levels in preschool, school, and college age students for the last 10-15 years have kept the number of mumps cases low, less than 300 annually since 2001 (CDC unpublished data). However, given today’s level of globalization, US physicians should be prepared to recognize, confirm, and report cases of mumps suspected in both US and foreign-born individuals. Physicians should also review the vaccination histories of their patients and provide all indicated vaccines. Imported mumps cases may spread in unvaccinated populations, including infants too young to be vaccinated and persons who are unvaccinated for medical, religious, or philosophical reasons. To view a recent article on this topic, please visit http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/331/7508/E363
ACIP Meeting
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) held a meeting on June 29-30, 2005 in Atlanta, Georgia. Minutes from the meeting are forthcoming and will be posted at the ACIP website: www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/. In addition, Immunization Works will publish information about the new recommendations in its August issue.
August is National Immunization Awareness Month
August 2005 marks the fifth annual observance of National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). The goal of NIAM is to increase awareness about immunizations across the lifespan, from infants to the elderly.
This year’s campaign is focused around the theme, “Are You Up to Date? Vaccinate!,” to remind people of all ages of the importance of immunization. The National Partnership for Immunization (NPI) is planning a press briefing in Washington, DC on July 26, 2005 to mark the start of NIAM. In addition, NPI is offering a variety of consumer-oriented materials to support the work of immunization coalitions and others in their efforts to increase awareness, acceptance and use of vaccines in their communities. For more information about NIAM, and a link to NIAM printable materials, please visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niam/
Meetings, Conferences, and Resources
Now Available: New Influenza Bulletin
CDC’s National Immunization Program (NIP) publishes and distributes periodic bulletins to update partners about recent developments related to the production, distribution, and administration of influenza vaccine. The first Influenza Bulletin for the 2005-2006 Season, Influenza Vaccine Bulletin #1, and future bulletins, can be accessed at www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/flubulletin.htm
Influenza Guidelines for LTC
CDC recently posted an information sheet with guidelines for influenza prevention and control in long-term care facilities on its influenza web section. Titled "Guidelines and Recommendations: Infection Control Measures for Preventing and Controlling Influenza Transmission in Long-Term-Care Facilities" the information sheet can be found at www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol
pdf/longtermcare.pdf 
HPV and Cervical Cancer Webcast:
CDC will host a webcast entitled “HPV and Cervical Cancer: An Update on Prevention Strategies” on August 9, 2005, from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET. The webcast will provide viewers with information on cervical cancer screening guidelines and strategies for preventing genital HPV infection, including appropriate patient counseling messages. The intended audience is all healthcare providers who see patients who could be at risk for HPV and cervical cancer. For more information, please visit
www2a.cdc.gov/phtn/webcast/HPV-05/default.asp
Lunch NetConference on Current Immunization Issues
NIP will host its next lunch netconference, Current Issues in Immunization on July 14, 2005. Quarterly netconferences are live, 1-hour presentations combining an online visual presentation with simultaneous audio via telephone conference call. Participants can interact with the presenters through a live question and answer segment at the end of the program. Each netconference focuses on one or two late-breaking issues in immunization. The next installment will include a discussion of new varicella vaccine recommendations and the new acellular pertussis vaccine. To learn more and reserve a space, please visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/netconferences.htm
New Satellite Broadcast
Please mark your calendar for NIP’s new satellite broadcast, Immunization Update 2005, to be held on July 28, 2005. The 2.5-hour broadcast will occur live from 9:00 am to 11:30 am and will be re-broadcast that day from 12:00 noon to 2:30 pm. The broadcast will cover new recommendations for influenza vaccine and an update of the influenza vaccine supply, meningococcal conjugate vaccine, acellular pertussis vaccine for adolescents, and revised varicella vaccine recommendations. Both broadcasts will feature a live question-and-answer session in which participants nationwide can interact with the course instructors via toll-free telephone lines. The program will also be available as a live webcast which can be accessed through the internet. For more information, please visit www.phppo.cdc.gov/phtn/immup2005/default.asp
South Carolina and California to Host Next Training
Charleston, South Carolina; Sacramento, California; and Torrence, California will host the next Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases training. The training will be offered in Charleston on August 17-18, 2005; in Sacramento on November 14-15, 2005; and in Torrance on November 17-18, 2005. For more information about the South Carolina training, please contact Susan A. Smith at (803) 898-0869 or smithsl@dhec.sc.gov. For more information about the California trainings, please contact Myan Nguyen at (510) 540-2065 or mnguyen2@dhs.ca.gov.
Job Openings within the National Immunization Program
NIP is committed to recruiting and hiring qualified candidates for a wide range of positions. Researchers, Medical Officers and Epidemiologists as well as other specialties are often needed to fill positions within NIP. Interested parties are encouraged to apply for these positions. For a current listing of positions available at NIP, please visit www.cdc.gov/hrmo/hrmo.htm
.pdf files: To view and print the .pdf files on this site, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. Use this link to obtain a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader (exit). We highly recommend that you upgrade to the latest version if haven't already.
Return to Immunization Works! index page
Content last reviewed on July 19, 2005
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
