FDA Approved Prevnar 13 Vaccine for Adults 50 and Older

In December 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Prevnar 13, a pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine, for adults aged 50 years and older to prevent pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease. Pneumococcal pneumonia is a common disease in adults. A recent study on adults aged 50 and older showed that for the 12 serotypes shared by Prevnar 13 and Pneumovax 23, Prevnar 13 induced antibody levels that were either comparable to or higher than the levels induced by Pneumovax 23. Common adverse reactions of adults that received Prevnar 13 include pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site. Prevnar 13 is already approved for use in children aged 6 weeks through 5 years of age. The Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices has not issued recommendations for Prevnar 13 use among adults. For additional information about Prevnar 13 for adults, click here.

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NIIW 2012: April 21 – 28

National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) will be held from April 21 – 28, 2012. NIIW is a yearly observance to highlight the importance of protecting infants against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases. If you are planning a NIIW immunization activity, please let us know by contacting Sheila Sanders at ssanders@ilmaternal.org or 312/491-8161 x23. For promotional materials, educational resources, and successful event planning tips for NIIW, click here.

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Supplemental dose of PCV13

The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) provides protection against the most common pneumococcal serotypes. PCV13 is to be given at 2, 4, 6, and 12 through 15 months of age. Also, all children 14 through 59 months of age who have received an age-appropriate series of PCV7 should be given a supplemental dose of PCV13. Many children have not received the supplemental dose, which leaves children at risk for invasive pneumococcal disease caused by the six serotypes not included in PCV7. Health care professionals are urged to review the immunization history of all children 14 through 59 months of age who come to the office to determine if they are eligible for the supplemental dose of PCV13. Also, only PCV13 vaccine should be administered, and the use of PCV7 vaccine should be discontinued even if the vaccine has not expired. For more information about PCV13, click here.


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Updated Vaccine Information Statements

Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are informational sheets that explain the benefits and risks of a vaccine to the vaccine recipient or legal guardian. In January 2012, the VIS for Td/Tdap was updated. In February 2012, the VISs for hepatitis B and human papillomavirus were updated. To download the VISs, click here.

Chicago Receives NIS Award

In February 2012, the City of Chicago received the award for the most improved city on childhood immunization coverage for children aged 19-35 months based on the National Immunization Survey (NIS) sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the recent NIS survey from July 2010 to June 2011, Chicago’s estimated vaccination coverage rate for four DTP/DT/DTaP, three polio, one MMR, three hepatitis B, three Hib, one varicella, and four doses of PCV was 74.2%, which is an increase of 7.2% from the 2009 survey.

The CAIC would like to thank all our partners for helping improve the immunization rates in Chicago. We must remember that the work of improving infant immunization rates is an ongoing team effort.  Please use the CAIC as a resource in your education and vaccination efforts. 

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CAIC Receives Funding From CVS

The CAIC received a grant from the charitable trust of CVS Caremark for the Protecting Our Infants From Pertussis (POIP) project. The goal of the POIP project is to reduce the spread of pertussis in the Chicago area, and educate appropriate providers and the public on the importance of pertussis vaccination and cocooning vaccination practices, thus reducing the risk of morbidity and/or mortality among the most vulnerable members of our community. POIP will target infants, new parents, caretakers and health care personnel with close infant contact, and parents, providers and schools in three of the most populated counties in Illinois; Cook, Lake, and DuPage Counties. 
For more information about POIP, click here.

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Spelling Bee for Grownups!: March 8, 2012

Join the Illinois Coalition for School Health Centers and the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition’s Associate Board in a fundraising event to benefit our youth empowerment and leadership development activities. The spelling bee will be held on March 8, 2012 from 6-9pm at Joe’s Bar.  Tickets include drinks and an appetizer buffet.  For more information and to purchase tickets, click here. For information about sponsorship opportunities contact Lilah Handler at lhandler@ilmaternal.org or call 312-491-8161.

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Register for the 10th NCIHC :  May 23 – 25, 2012

The 10th National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions (NCIHC) will be hosted by the Louisiana Shots for Tots Coalition on May 23 – 25, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The conference is dedicated to collaboration and partnership as a way to improve the health status of communities. To learn more about the conference, review the agenda, or to register click here.

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CDC’s First National Immunization Conference Online

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will sponsor its first National Immunization Conference Online (NICO) on March 26-28, 2012. The goals of NICO are to provide information that will help participants provide comprehensive immunization coverage for all age groups and explore innovative strategies for developing programs, policy, and research to promote immunization coverage for all age groups. Topics discussed include vaccine safety, programmatic issues, and communications. The entire conference is online, and there is no cost to participate. For more information about NICO, click here.

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Vaccine Education Center: Updated Resources and Webinar

The Vaccine Education Center (VEC) at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia provides up-to-date and reliable information about immunizations to parents and health care providers. The VEC has recently updated the information sheets for human papillomavirus, rotavirus, and shingles. To download the free informational sheets, click here.

The VEC will be hosting a free webinar on March 14, 2012 from 11-12pm. Some of the topics to be discussed include vaccines and PFCs, Tdap for older adults, and PCV13 for adults. For more information and to register for the webinar, click here.

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The TransactRx Vaccine Manager

The TransactRx Vaccine Manager is an online-based option for processing Medicare Part D vaccine claims. Now you can improve patient access to important vaccinations by providing your practice with an estimate of coverage and eligibility in real-time and bill and receive payment for vaccines administered to Medicare Part D patients. The ultimate determination of coverage, reimbursement, and patient responsibility rests with the managed care plan. The TransactRx Vaccine Manager was created and is administered by POC Network Technologies, Inc. (PNT). To enroll, click here. For additional information, contact TransactRx at 1-866-522-3386.

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Immunization Action Coalition: Updated Resources

The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) recently updated three of their handouts. The handout, “Are you 11–19 years old?”, was updated to include changes to the recommendation for human papillomavirus and the meningitis vaccine.  The handout, “It’s Federal Law! You must give your patients current Vaccine Information Statements (VIS)”, was updated to include current VIS publication dates. Also updated was the brochure, “What if You Don’t Immunize Your Child?”, which encourages parents to have their children immunized. To view the updated resources from IAC, click here.

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