CDC
data indicate vaccine-preventable deaths in U.S. at record low.
HealthDay
(11/14/07, Gordon) reports, "The incidence of vaccine-preventable deaths
has reached an all-time low in the United States," according to data
published in today's issue of the Journal
of the American Medical Association. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) study "found that childhood vaccinations have
reduced the death rates from seven previously common childhood illnesses, such
as diphtheria, mumps, and measles, by 100 percent." Investigators
"compared the number of cases and deaths for 13 vaccine-preventable
deaths," using the latest illness data from 2006, and death rates from
2004, "to pre-vaccination rates. Overall, for immunizations developed prior
to 1980, there was a 92 percent reduction in vaccine-preventable illnesses, and
a 99 percent or greater decline in deaths due to vaccine-preventable
diseases." Those inoculations that became available "after 1980,
including the hepatitis vaccines," Haemophilus influenza type b,
"and chickenpox," experienced "an 80 percent or greater decline
in illness and deaths."
The New
York Times (11/14/07,
A18, McNeil Jr.) notes that the prior to this study, the CDC had "never
before searched historical records going back to 1900 to compile estimates of
cases, hospitalizations, and deaths for all the diseases that children are
routinely vaccinated against." Furthermore, "Public health
officials are involved in a continuing struggle with anti-vaccine activists who
contend that the shots given to children trigger autism, seizures, or other
serious side effects." Curtis Allen, a spokesman for the CDC, said
that "the new study was not done specifically to counter the anti-vaccine
movement, 'but it does show conclusively the value of vaccines.'"
And, Time
(11/13/07,
Blue) added, "In the U.S., few health issues get people as riled up as the
persistent, though almost completely discredited, argument that routine
childhood immunizations cause autism." At present "[i]n the
U.K., doctors and policy makers are debating whether to encourage universal
vaccination against chickenpox, a step that U.S. medical authorities took in
1995. Even that debate -- focused not on the vaccine's safety, but on
whether it's really necessary -- has become surprisingly bitter."
However, the researchers "cite a 2001 paper [which] estimat[ed] that every
year, seven of the 12 routine childhood vaccinations given in the U.S. prevent
14 million disease cases and 33,000 deaths." In light of those
estimates, "[t]he JAMA authors believe their own death-rate
reduction figures may in fact underestimate the true benefits of
vaccination."
Evidence-Based Medicine: MMR Vaccine Not Linked to Autism
-
JAMA: Association
Between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Autism
"In a six-year Danish population-based cohort study, children given a
thimerosal-based vaccine were
compared with those receiving a thimerosal-free version of the same vaccine.
The risk of autism and autism-spectrum disorders did not differ
significantly between the two groups."
-
AAP: Study fails to show a connection between thimerosal and autism
"AAP provides the following information for clinicians who may be aware of recent press surrounding an article that claims to show a
correlation between thimerosal and autism. This paper uses data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System
(VAERS) inappropriately and contains numerous conceptual and scientific flaws, omissions of fact, inaccuracies, and misstatements."
AAP Press Release: http://www.aap.org/profed/thimaut-may03.htm
-
JAMA Editorial:
Congressional Autism Hearings Continue:
No Evidence MMR Vaccine Causes Disorder
-
AAP Press Release:
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/washing/23apr01.htm
-
Institute of Medicine Immunization Safety Review:
http://www.nap.edu/books/0309074479/html/
-
Journal of the American Medical Association -
Time Trends in Autism and in MMR Immunization Coverage in California (JAMA. 2001;285:1183-1185)
http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v285n9/abs/jbr00284.html
-
Pediatrics Electronic Article: Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine and Autistic Spectrum Disorder:
Report From the New Challenges in Childhood Immunizations Conference Convened in Oak Brook, Illinois, June 12-13, 2000
Vol. 107 No. 5 May 2001, p. e84
http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/abstract/107/5/e84
-
British Medical Journal 2001;322:460-463 (24JFebruary)
Mumps, measles, and rubella vaccine and the incidence of autism recorded by general practitioners: a time trend analysis
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/322/7284/460
-
WebMD: Autism Debate May End Up Harming Children
- There's No Evidence Vaccine Is Linked to the Disorder
http://webmd.lycos.com/content/article/1728.57049
-
Autism Research Must Continue - AAP to issue autism policy statement on diagnosis and treatment
http://www.aap.org/advocacy/washing/25apr01.htm
Mumps Outbreak at a Summer Camp --- New York, 2005
"...in the camp outbreak, mumps likely was introduced by an unvaccinated
counselor who traveled from the UK...the outbreak described in this report likely resulted from a combination of delay in diagnosis of mumps
and failure to report the cluster in a timely manner, in addition to close contact and social mixing..."
Varicella
Decline in Annual Incidence of Varicella -
Selected States, 1990--2001
"The findings in this report suggest that the steady decline
in reported varicella incidence during 1999-2001 resulted from the increased
use of varicella vaccine and not a decrease in reporting. These findings
are consistent with data from three active surveillance sites at which
individual cases are investigated (Antelope Valley, California; West
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Travis County, Texas). During 1995-2000,
incidence of varicella for all age groups in these three sites declined
substantially (range: 76%-87%), corresponding with the high average
vaccination coverage of 80%."
MMWR September
19, 2003 / 52(37);884-885
AAP, Institute of Medicine: Vaccine Safety
Report
"A vaccine safety report issued by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) contains
findings and recommendations consistent with those of the AAP. No evidence
currently exists that proves a link between thimerosal-containing vaccines and
autism, ADHD and speech and language delay."
AAP Press
Release
IOM Online Report:
Immunization Safety Review: Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and
Neurodevelopmental Disorders (2001)
CDC
Influenza Home Page
Influenza Vaccine Shortage:
Using
Live, Attenuated Influenza Vaccine for Prevention and Control of Influenza
"This report summarizes recommendations by ACIP for using intranasally
administered, trivalent, cold-adapted, live, attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), which was approved for use
in the US on June 17, 2003 (FluMist(R), MedImmune, Inc.). LAIV is currently approved for use among healthy
persons (i.e., those
not at high risk for complications from influenza infection) aged 5–49
years."
Carriers
Announce Coverage for Intranasal Flu Vaccine
"Administration of inactivated trivalent influenza vaccine to children aged
6 to 24 months did not reduce
their burden of AOM or their utilization of selected health care and related
resources."
The Safety of Inactivated Influenza Vaccine in Adults and Children with Asthma
"In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover
trial in 2032 patients with asthma (age range, 3 to 64 years), patients were
given injections of vaccine and placebo assigned randomly, with a mean of 22
days between the injections. Each day during the two weeks after each
injection, the patients recorded peak expiratory flow rates, symptoms thought to
be related to the injection, use of asthma medications, unscheduled health care
visits for asthma, and asthma-related absences from school or work. In the
two weeks after the injections. The frequency of exacerbations of asthma
was similar in the two weeks after the influenza vaccination and after placebo
injection. Among symptoms thought to be associated with the injection,
only body aches were more frequent after the vaccine injection than after
placebo injection. Conclusion was: the inactivated influenza vaccine is
safe to administer to adults and children with asthma, including those with
severe asthma."
NEJM: Volume
345:1529-1536
ACIP Recommends Expanded Influenza Vaccinations for Children
"Do Parents Understand Immunizations? A National Telephone Survey"
A survey of 1,600 parents reveals that the majority of parents understand the clear benefits of childhood immunization, yet many still
have misconceptions that may undermine their confidence in vaccines.
AAP Press
Release
Pediatrics Vol. 106 No. 5 November 2000, pp.
1097-1102
Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Proves Effective in Adults, Adolescents:
ACIP Recommends Adult Vaccination: New Tetanus, Diphtheria Pertussis
Vaccine (Tdap)
"...voted to recommend that adults from 19 to 64 years of age be
vaccinated with a newly licensed adult booster tetanus, diphtheria and
pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine (Tdap)..."
The Risk of Seizures after Receipt of Whole-Cell Pertussis or
Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccine
"In a cohort study at four large
HMOs, relative risks of febrile and non-febrile seizures among 679,942 children after 340,386 DTP vaccinations,
137,457 MMR vaccinations and no recent vaccination were calculated. Receipt of DTP vaccine was associated with an increased risk of febrile seizures only
on the day of vaccination (adjusted relative risk, 5.70). Receipt of MMR
vaccine was associated with an increased risk of febrile seizures 8 to 14 days after vaccination (relative risk, 2.83). Neither was associated with an
increased risk of non-febrile seizures. The number of febrile seizures attributable to the administration of DTP and MMR vaccines was estimated to
be 6-9 and 25-34 per 100,000 children, respectively. As compared with other
children with febrile seizures that were not associated with vaccination, the children who had febrile seizures after vaccination were not found to be
at higher risk for subsequent seizures or neuro-developmental disabilities."
The Changing Epidemiology of Rubella in the 1990's: On the Verge of
Elimination and New Challenges for Control and Prevention
"The epidemiology of rubella and CRS has changed significantly in the last
decade. These changes and molecular typing suggest that the United States
is on the verge of elimination of the disease. To prevent future rubella
outbreaks and CRS, current strategies must be enhanced and new strategies
developed."
JAMA.
2002;287:464-472
ACIP Expands Hepatitis A Vaccination for Children
"The recommendation for vaccination of children, between 1
and 2 years of age will be integrated into the routine childhood vaccination
schedule"
ACIP Recommends New Vaccine to Prevent Rotavirus
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