Global Immunization News 25 February 2011
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Global Immunization News 25 February 2011 World Health Organization Global Immunization News Inside this issue: Technical Information Meeting of the Global Advisory 2 Committee on Vaccine Safety Polio eradication mourns loss of 2 NEW VACCINES, NEW true polio champion OPPORTUNITIES Announcements from The SIVAC 3 25/02/2011 from Hayatee Hasan, WHO/HQ Initiative In the past two months, four countries ― WHO position on pandemic influ- 3 Guyana, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Yemen ― enza vaccination following reports of narcolepsy subsequent to use of have introduced the pneumococcal conjugate Pandemrix vaccine. They represent the first of a series of countries introducing the vaccine in 2011. PHOTO Cold Chain and Logistics Taskforce 3 WHO concludes that quality issues 4 These introductions represent a major relating to Quinvaxem production milestone - the gap between access to new have been resolved vaccines between developed and developing AFRICA 4-6 countries is shortening; it is extraordinary to The launching of the Pneumococcal see a new vaccine launched in a developing conjugate vaccine (PCV-13) in Si- erra Leone country within one to two years of its introduction in the Americas and Europe, Kenya launches ten-valent pneumo- while in the past, it has taken several years coccal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) Vaccine carrier containing pneumococcal vaccine in (averaging 15 years) between the Kenya Meetings held in afro central introduction of new vaccines in developed and developing countries. AMERICAS 6-8 Peru introduces nationwide HPV vaccination; Argentina announces For more information regarding the launches in these countries, please see the articles on HPV vaccine introduction Kenya, Sierra Leone and Yemen. Workshop to Share Lessons Learned on the Development and ACCOUNTABILITY, INFORMATION AND HEALTH: LEARN MORE ABOUT THE Implementation of National Com- puterized Nominal Immunization COMMISSION ON INFORMATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WOMEN'S AND Registries CHILDREN'S HEALTH 25/02/2011 from Marie Agnes Heine, WHO/HQ Ad-hoc Scientific Consultation on Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) Schedules The UN Secretary-General's Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health launched in EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN 8 September 2010 aims to save 16 million women and children by 2015. It calls on all partners Introduction of Pneumococcal vac- to take part in this critical action to improve the health of women and children. cine Into EPI - Yemen EUROPE 9 We would like to invite you to learn more about the Commission and to contribute your ideas European Immunization Week on how to create a new, robust accountability framework that ensures that available re- 2011 to highlight shared responsi- sources and results are identified, recognized and reported on. bility to immunize Startup of new surveillance activity 9 Help make it happen - more information available at www.everywomaneverychild.org/ for invasive bacterial disease in accountability_commission by: Uzbekistan Participating in the Commission's online discussion forum. Regional Meetings & Key Events 10-11 Commenting on the discussion papers proposed by the two Working Groups. Posting additional information and updating the most recent uploads. Related Links 12 For more information, please contact: [email protected] Global Immunization News Technical Information MEETING OF THE GLOBAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON VACCINE SAFETY (GACVS), 8-9 DECEMBER 2010 25/02/2011 from Alison Brunier, WHO/HQ “Immunizing in At its meeting of 8-9 December 2010, GACVS considered the following issues: the context of Safety of the meningitis A conjugate vaccine global Following review of the data for the meningococcal A conjugate vaccine, MenAfriVac, collected in Burkina independence” Faso, Mali and Niger in September 2010, GACVS concluded that there appeared to be no outstanding safety issues related to its use. As the vaccine is currently administered in campaign settings and had not been clinically evaluated among pregnant women, the question of restricting the vaccination of women in this group was considered by the Committee. Consideration was also given to the risk-benefit of providing the vaccine to lactating women. Given the clear benefits of the vaccine, the increased risk of disease in the geographical area, past experience using similar vaccines in comparable conditions, and the lack of alternative ways of protecting pregnant women from epidemic meningitis, GACVS supported WHO’s technical guidance that MenAfriVac should be offered to pregnant and lactating women residing in the meningitis belt during any stage of pregnancy or lactation. However, GACVS emphasized the need for additional post-marketing surveillance to provide more complete information about the safety profile of the vaccine, including its effects in specific groups, especially pregnant women. Rotavirus vaccines and intussusception The information In view of the association of a previously-marketed rotavirus vaccine (Rotashield) with an increased incidence of intussusception (an uncommon form of bowel obstruction), GACVS reviewed all post- contained in this marketing studies of the currently-available vaccines, Rotarix and RotaTeq, that have considered a Newsletter de- potential link between the vaccines and an increased rate of intussusception. Data from Australia, Brazil, pends upon your Mexico and the United States of America were reviewed at the December meeting. Post-marketing contributions surveillance suggests a possible increased risk of intussusception shortly after the first dose of rotavirus Please send inputs vaccine in some populations. If confirmed, the level of risk observed in these studies is substantially lower than the risk of 1 case/5000–10 000 in infants who received the Rotashield vaccine. The benefits of for inclusion to: rotavirus vaccination in preventing rotavirus gastroenteritis and its consequences are substantial. [email protected] Additional data are being collected and analysed, and will be reviewed by GACVS when available. Safety of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 vaccines GACVS reviewed data on the safety of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccines. Overall, safety information continues to be reassuring. Since the Committee’s earlier report in June 2010, data from passive surveillance from different countries has not generated any new safety concerns other than reports of narcolepsy from Finland and Sweden in August 2010. These reports are being investigated by independent groups in Europe. Final analyses of active surveillance studies are anticipated to be completed by late 2011. “Integrating Immunization, Full report other linked More information on GACVS health interventions POLIO ERADICATION MOURNS LOSS OF TRUE POLIO CHAMPION and surveillance 25/02/2011 from Sona Bari, WHO/HQ in the health systems Bill Sergeant, former Chairman of Rotary's International's Polio Plus Committee and true polio hero, context” passed away on 13 February at his home in Tennessee, USA. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative mourns the loss of Mr Bill Sergeant. Mr Sergeant was the Chairman of Rotary International's International PolioPlus Committee of the Rotary Foundation, from its inception in 1994 until 2006. During his tenure and under his guidance, Rotary International committed more than US$500 million to the global polio eradication effort. His personal commitment and tireless dedication to the achievement of a polio-free world was second-to-none. Recognizing his personal engagement and drive for polio eradication, the World Health Assembly in May 2006 honoured him, as he truly represented Rotary's motto of 'Service Above Self'. Bill Sergeant passed away on Sunday 13 February 2011, at his home in Tennessee, USA. Memorial contributions may be made to The Rotary Foundation PolioPlus campaign at here. Page 2 Global Immunization News Technical Information ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE SIVAC INITIATIVE 25/02/2011 from Julia Blau, AMP The two briefings described below are available in the Center of Expertise on the NITAG Resource Center via the following link: http://www.nitag-resource.org/en/training/rapid-briefing.php “Introducing new vaccines and 1. The “Introduction to Health Economic Evaluations for NITAG members briefing” is an e-learning tool that provides NITAG members with a basic background on health economic evaluations applied technologies” to immunization. It contains 4 modules of 10 to 40 minutes each: - Module 1: The usefulness of economic evaluations for public health - Module 2: The different types of economic evaluations - Module 3: The main methodological issues of an economic evaluation - Module 4: Interpretation of cost-effectiveness ratios 2. The “NITAG newcomers briefing” launched in October 2010 is an e-learning tool that provides NITAG members with a basic background on NITAG rationale, role, and functioning. Originally in GAVI related English, the “NITAG newcomers briefing” is now also available in French. Information For more information, please contact Julia Blau, SIVAC Program Officer ( [email protected] ) Next GAVI WHO POSITION ON PANDEMIC INFLUENZA VACCINATION FOLLOWING REPORTS Review Dates: OF NARCOLEPSY SUBSEQUENT TO USE OF PANDEMRIX GAVI Call for 25/02/2011 from Alison Brunier, WHO/HQ Proposals for New Vaccine Following review of all available data from Finland concerning reports of narcolepsy following Support (only): vaccination with Pandemrix, WHO's Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety advised, in a Closing date 15 statement posted on its web site on 8 February 2011, that this