News
TGA statement on Gardasil adverse events
On December 6th 2007, the Theraputic Goods Administration
released a summary of reported adverse events following the distribution
of over 2.2 million doses of the human papillomavirus vaccine
in Australia. To view this statement, click on link
http://www.tga.gov.au/alerts/medicines/gardasil.htm
Release of Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Vaccination
Coverage in Australia, 2003 to 2005 publication
NCIRS is proud to announce the publication of Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Vaccination Coverage in Australia, 2003 to 2005, which is the fourth national report into Australia’s progress in preventing diseases through vaccination.
The report provides an overview of the 16 diseases preventable by currently available vaccines. These include the 12 for which vaccines were funded nationally for children by the end of 2005 (diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease, hepatitis B, invasive pneumococcal disease, measles, meningococcal C disease, mumps, pertussis, poliomyelitis, rubella, tetanus and varicella), and another 3 vaccines only funded or recommended for specific high-risk groups (hepatitis A, influenza and Q fever). Rotavirus, for which new vaccines became available in 2006, is also included.
The report can be found at the Communicable Diseases Intelligence website
http://www.healthconnect.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/cda-cdi31suppl.htm
Events
SEMINAR: Developing and communicating about immunisation
policy - the bit we don't talk about - September 2007
This seminar was given by Professor David M Salisbury CB FRCP FRCPCH FFPH, Director of Immunisation, Department of Health, United Kingdom.
Summary
The development of immunisation policy in the UK is similar to the model
of other industrialised countries: an independent expert advisory committee
reviews evidence that it receives, makes recommendations to the Government
and these are applied throughout the UK. Where there are differences are
in the arrangements for management of the programme.
A team of around 20 individuals within the Department of Health manages the strategy development and implementation. Their work spans the bringing together of scientific evidence, the purchase, supply and distribution arrangements for vaccines, the informatics systems for the immunisation programme and the communications work that informs and supports immunisation implementation.
The UK programme uses the usual process and outcome measurements that are routine (coverage and disease surveillance) but also monitors public knowledge and attitudes about immunisation with equal priority. Given the extent of investment especially in new vaccines, it is of increasing importance that consumer attitudes are monitored and reflected in programme management. This aspect of programme management requires skills specific to the task and that should be integral within national programmes.
A copy of Professor Salisbury's PowerPoint slides is available here:
presentation.
Communicable Diseases Control Conference - March
2007
NCIRS staff presented a number of posters at the recent CDC conference in Canberra. The biennial national conference is held under the auspices of the Communicable Diseases Network Australia and the Public Health Laboratory Network. PDF copies of the posters can be accessed below:
Pandemic Influenza: Sydney Business Leaders discuss the possible Impact in a Focus Group - Ralf Itzwerth
An earlier 2nd dose of MMR? Insights from modelling… - James Wood
Pertussis epidemiology in Australia over the decade 1995-2005: trends by region and age group - Helen Quinn
Age-specific trends in varicella hospitalisations in Australia prior to a universally funded program - Anita Heywood
IX
International Symposium on Respiratory Viral Infections - March 2007
NCIRS staff presented a number of posters at this recent conference in Hong Kong. PDF copies of the posters can be accessed below:
Active surveillance and early intervention with oseltamivir for controlling influenza outbreaks in aged care facilities - Clayton Chiu
An Outbreak of Influenza B at a Chronic Care Psychogeriatric Hospital - Holly Seale
NCIRS
Varicella Zoster Virus Workshop 2006
A 2-day workshop on the varicella zoster
virus was held in Sydney on the 16-17th November 2006. Prominent
international guest speakers included Professor Myron Levin (US), Professor
Anne Gershon (US) and Professor Judith Breuer (UK). Presentations from
this workshop can be found HERE.
More news
Vale Aileen Plant
NCIRS fondly and respectfully remembers Professor Aileen Plant, who was a leader in communicable diseases epidemiology in Australia and globally. Professor Plant's extraordinary personal touch enabled her to be a friend and mentor to many. She was one of the longest standing members of the NCIRS Scientific Advisory Committee and NCIRS Advisory Board (see photos below), serving on our SAC from the inception of NCIRS in 1997 until the her untimely death in 2007. She will be sorely missed by NCIRS and by the public health community.
Advisory Board 2003
Scientific Advisory Committee 2006
Australian Government Funds Rotavirus vaccine (28 March 2007)
The Australian Government will provide $124.4 million over the next five years to include free Rotavirus vaccines on the National Immunisation Program.
Two Rotavirus vaccines will be included on the National Immunisation Program, Rotarix® from GlaxoSmithKline and RotaTeq® from CSL Limited.
The new vaccine will be given orally to babies from two to six months
of age, commencing in July 2007. All babies born from 1 May 2007 will
be eligible for the free vaccine. Two or three doses, depending on the
brand administered, will generally be given at the same time as other
immunisations at around two, four and six months of age.
More...
NCIRS Newsletter - current
and past issues
NCIRS-AIP email discussion list
NCIRS is pleased to announce that there are now over 240 Australian immunisation professionals subscribed to the NCIRS-AIP email discussion list.
NCIRS-AIP is an electronic email discussion group that has been set up for Australian immunisation professionals. This group facilitates communication between Australian immunisation practitioners, policy makers and researchers. It is modelled on a similar group in the UK. Discussion items include:
1. News items/publications and meetingsof interest
2. A forum for questions and feedback
3. An avenue for rapid information aboutmedia controversies.
The group is designed chiefly for professionals involved in immunisation in Australia, whether at the level of research, policy development or as immunisation providers. NCIRS welcomes into the group all Australian professionals, as well as professionals in other countries who wish to learn more about immunisation in Australia, and/or wish to communicate their experience with us.
Subscribers to NCIRS-AIP receive regular international updates on immunisation news (news briefs) and weekly summaries and commentaries on recent papers presented and discussed at the NCIRS Immunisation Journal Club.
If you are interested in subscribing to this group, please log on at http://mailman.ucc.usyd.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/ncirs-aip and follow the instructions located there.
Recent
NCIRS Journal Club summaries