H1N1 Information- How will the vaccine be distributed?

Vaccine manufacturing

Novel H1N1 vaccine is being procured by the U.S. government from five (5) vaccine manufacturers of currently U.S.-licensed seasonal influenza vaccines – inactivated subunit (4) and live, attenuated vaccines (1). Inactivated licensed novel H1N1 vaccine will be available in single-dose syringes, or in multi-dose vials. Live attenuated vaccine will be available in limited number in inhaler sprayers. Single-dose syringes will be thimerosal-free, which will address concerns about this additive, especially regarding pediatric and pregnant vaccine recipients (inhaler sprayer vaccine products will also be thimerosal-free). The availability of novel H1N1 vaccine is dependent on multiple factors including virus growth at commercial scale, regulatory review, availability of calibrated vaccine product potency assay reagents, overall production capacity, and availability to U.S. through HHS contracts.

Vaccine purchase and allocation

Novel H1N1 vaccine is being purchased by the U.S. government and will be made available for vaccinators at no cost. Syringes, needles, sharps containers and alcohol swabs will also be provided. Vaccine will be allocated across states proportional to population. State health departments (and a few separately funded cities) will direct their allocation to local health departments and other vaccination partners.

Go to www.getmyflushot.com or www.ANeedleFreeFluVaccine.com for more information

Safety of the Gardasil Vaccine

As reported on the CDC Website:
This vaccine has been licensed by the FDA and approved by CDC as safe and effective. It was studied in thousands of females (ages 9 through 26 years) around the world and its safety continues to be monitored by CDC and the FDA. Studies have found no serious side effects. The most common side effect is soreness in the arm (where the shot is given). There have recently been some reports of fainting in teens after they got the vaccine. For this reason, it is recommended that patients wait in their doctor’s office for 15 minutes after getting the vaccine.

What about vaccinating boys and men?

We do not yet know if the vaccine is effective in boys or men. It is possible that vaccinating males will have health benefits for them by preventing genital warts and rare cancers, such as penile and anal cancer. It is also possible that vaccinating boys/men will have indirect health benefits for girls/women. Studies are now being done to find out if the vaccine works to prevent HPV infection and disease in males. When more information is available, this vaccine may be licensed and recommended for boys/men as well.

Pneumococcal vaccine recommended for adult cigarette smokers

Taken from www.pharmacist.com

Key point: The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that cigarette smoking be added to the list of indications for use of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) in adults 19 to 64 years of age.

Finer points: In October, ACIP voted on new recommendations for use of the pneumococcal vaccine for prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease. A key recommendation was the addition of cigarette smoking as an indication for the vaccine in adult patients. The proposed wording of the revised recommendation was "Persons aged 19 through 64 years who smoke cigarettes should receive a single dose of PPSV23 and smoking cessation counseling." This recommendation was based on a multitude of data showing that patients who smoke are at substantially increased risk for invasive pneumococcal disease. Nuorti and colleagues conducted a population-based case-control study to assess risk factors for pneumococcal disease. The investigators reported that cigarette smoking was the strongest independent risk factor (odds ratio 4.1 [95% CI 2.4–7.3]) for invasive pneumococcal disease among immunocompetent adults 18 to 64 years old. Passive smoking among nonsmokers was the second strongest risk factor (2.5 [1.2–5.1]) for the disease. The investigators also noted dose–response relationships for the current number of cigarettes smoked per day, pack–years of smoking, and time since quitting. Pastor and colleagues reported similar findings, with smoking being a risk factor for pneumococcal disease among young and middle-aged patients. The 2007 Infectious Diseases Society of America and American Thoracic Society guidelines for the management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults also recommended that smoking cessation be a goal for patients hospitalized with CAP who smoke and that smokers who do not quit be vaccinated with both the pneumococcal and influenza vaccines.

What you need to know: Approximately 20% of U.S. adults are estimated to smoke cigarettes. Smoking is thought to cause structural changes in the respiratory tract and a decrease in immune response, which makes smokers more susceptible to developing bacterial and viral infections. ACIP’s recommendation for vaccinating adult patients who smoke is currently under review by CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services and will become official when published in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. If approved, the new ACIP recommendation will significantly increase the number of adult patients who qualify for the pneumococcal vaccine. This offers an opportunity for pharmacists to become actively involved in identifying patients who smoke, vaccinating them against pneumococcal disease, and counseling them on smoking cessation options and the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. Community-based vaccination programs can easily identify patients at greatest risk for pneumococcal disease and improve overall vaccination rates.

What your patients need to know: Adult patients who currently smoke should be told that they are at an increased risk for invasive pneumococcal disease. Educate patients about the benefits of receiving the pneumococcal vaccine and counsel them on the importance of smoking cessation and avoiding secondhand smoke.

Vaccine Deadlines Extended in New Jersey

NJ health officials extend vaccine deadline

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS • December 30, 2008

TRENTON — Parents of toddlers in New Jersey have a few extra weeks to comply with a new state law requiring they get their preschoolers vaccinated.

The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services is giving people a grace period beyond Wednesday's original deadline.

Parents now have until mid-January to get their children the shots or show a note proving they have a vaccination appointment by the end of the month.

New Jersey is the first state to require flu and pneumonia shots for any child attending preschool or a licensed day care center.

Some groups are opposed to the vaccine requirement, arguing parents should have a chance to opt-out.

Taken from the Asbury Park Press, December 30, 2008

Shingles Vaccine

One of the most exciting vaccines to come out for the senior population in the last few years is the Shingles vaccine, Zostavax.

Shingles is a disease caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you have had chickenpox, the chickenpox virus remains inactive in your body in certain nerves. If the virus does become active again, usually later in life, it causes Shingles. This disease will affect one out of every two people over the age of 85. ZOSTAVAX is used to prevent Shingles in adults 60 years of age or older. Once you reach age 60, the sooner you get vaccinated, the better your chances of protecting yourself from Shingles. ZOSTAVAX is given as a single shot. ZOSTAVAX cannot be used to treat Shingles once you have it.

ZOSTAVAX is contraindicated in persons with a history of anaphylactic/
anaphylactoid reaction to gelatin, neomycin, or any other component of the vaccine; with a history of primary or acquired immunodeficiency states including leukemia; lymphomas of any type, or other malignant neoplasms affecting the bone marrow or lymphatic system; or with AIDS or other clinical manifestations of infection with human immunodeficiency viruses. ZOSTAVAX is a live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine and administration may result in disseminated disease in individuals who are immunosuppressed. ZOSTAVAX is also contraindicated in persons on immunosuppressive therapy.

You need a prescription from your physician to receive this vaccine, and even then they may not offer to give you it. The vaccine must be frozen at a very specific, and cold, temperature and most physicians cant maintain the vaccine effectively. After 20 minutes of being at room temp the vaccine is not effective. Also, physicians cannot bill for this vaccine like most others, so they end up charging a fee (ranging from $225-$350) .

Our company has found ways to overcome these challenges, and is now one of the largest providers in New Jersey for Zostavax. Visit ESI Medical at www.esimedical.com

Introduction

ESI Medical is a licensed and bonded Healthcare Service Firm operating in 5 states. Being a physician owned and operated agency, our clients get the perspective, attention and execution unique in our industry.

We provide a multitude of vaccine services in our office, and this blog will serve as a way to educate patients and travelers about the vaccines we offer.

Whether you're seeking sun and sand, traveling for business or embarking on the adventure of a lifetime, ESI Medical is the place to start you on your way to healthy and safer travel. Travelers often will plan out their trips down to the last detail, but they often forget the most important part of most international trips: Getting vaccinated