Sabin Vaccine Report
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Volume VIII, Number 1 Sabin Vaccine Spring 2005 EPORT The newsletter of the Albert B. Sabin Vaccine InstituteR — dedicated to disease prevention www.sabin.org FDA Clears Human Hookworm Vaccine for Phase I Safety Trials Sabin/GW Researchers Receive Word on Investigational New Drug Status for Vaccine Clinical trials to test the safety of a gin safety trials is a major milestone for in individuals who suffer from hook- first-of-its-kind human hookworm vac- the human hookworm vaccine project,” worm infection.” cine will begin in the Washington, DC Hotez said. “It has taken an amazing Human hookworm infection is caused area in the coming weeks after the U.S. amount of our team’s effort to get us to by parasitic worms that fasten onto the Food and Drug Administration conferred the current stage of vaccine develop- inner layers of the small intestine using investigational new drug status on the ment. Of course, our ultimate goal is to their teeth-like projections and cause vaccine this past January. No current take this research to developing coun- blood loss at the attachment site. vaccine is available to prevent hook- tries where the vaccine will be tested Hookworm disease refers to the iron worm disease, which is one of the most Continued on page 4 common chronic infections of humans with an estimated 740 million cases in The village of Americaninhas, areas of rural poverty in the tropics in a rural part of Minas Gerais and subtropics. state in Brazil, is the focus of a The Human Hookworm Vaccine Ini- field study of hookworm dis- tiative (HHVI) is sponsored by the ease burden, being conducted Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute, and by the Human Hookworm Vac- is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates cine Initiative. The members of Foundation. The research is conducted one village family posed for a at The George Washington University photo during an HHVI Team site visit in March. SVI program Medical Center. Peter J. Hotez, MD, manager of the HHVI, Kari PhD, professor and chair of GW’s De- Stoever, furnished the photo and partment of Microbiology and Tropical participated in the site visit. Medicine leads the scientific team and has been responsible for the develop- ment of the vaccine. “Approval to be- Albert Z. Kapikian, MD, to be Awarded the Sabin Gold Medal I nside May 10 Ceremony in Baltimore for SVI’s Highest Scientific Award ViewPoint........................................ 2 Albert Z. Kapikian, MD, physician, nual Conference on Vaccine Research President’s Message......................... 3 medical pioneer and viral diseases re- at the Marriott Inner Harbor hotel in SVI and Rubella Elimination .......... 3 searcher, will receive the prestigious Baltimore, Maryland. The ceremony Routine Meningococcal Vaccine Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal at a cer- will begin at 7 pm. Recommendation ..................... 6 emony on May 10, 2005. Kapikian is the Kapikian’s career of more than 47 Sabin Gold Medalist ................... 1, 7 13th recipient of this recognition, years, with groundbreaking medical re- Cancer Vaccine Consortium News.... 8 awarded annually by the Sabin Vaccine search contributions, is distinguished by Ciro de Quadros Named Public Institute to honor achievements by the development of the first licensed Health Hero ................................. 9 vaccinologists and infectious disease rotavirus vaccine. “Albert Kapikian’s Polio Vaccine Anniversary ............. 10 experts. The ceremony will be held in contribution to mankind through the Book Corner ................................. 11 conjunction with the National Founda- tion for Infectious Diseases Eighth An- Continued on page 7 2 SPRING 2005 SABIN VACCINE REPORT The Sabin Vaccine Report VIEW is published by the POINT Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute Subscriptions are free, but tax deduct- ible contributions are appreciated to The following message from the Sabin Vaccine Institute is timed to mark National Infant support the SVI’s many programs. Immunization Week (NIIW), April 24-30, in the United States and as members of the Please direct inquiries to: Americas mark Vaccination Week in the Americas, April 23-30. NIIW is an annual SABIN VACCINE REPORT observance that highlights the importance of timely immunization for children and infants. 161 Cherry Street This year more than 500 events are expected to take place across the nation to increase New Canaan, CT 06840-4818 awareness of the importance of vaccination. NIIW was established 11 years ago by the U.S. phone: 203.972.7907/fax: 203.966.4763 www.sabin.org Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. email: [email protected] Vaccination Week in the Americas is coordinated by the Pan American Health Organization, EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR focusing on the children normally left behind, those living in rural border regions, indigenous Raymond MacDougall Veronica Korn people and vulnerable groups, including women of childbearing age and the elderly. We offer COPY EDITOR thoughts on the importance of immunization in a spirit of solidarity with these efforts. David Bedell OFFICERS OF THE SVI BOARD OF TRUSTEES H. R. Shepherd, DSc, Chairman William R. Berkley, Co-Chairman Michael E. Whitham, Esq., Secretary/ The Childhood Immunization Schedule: Treasurer Why Are Immunizations So Important? SVI STAFF Dean D. Mason, President/CEO As parents, we are constantly concerned about keeping our children safe and healthy. Fran G. Sonkin, Executive Vice President To protect them, we put them in child safety seats and install childproof door latches. One Ciro de Quadros, MD, MPH, Director, of the most important ways we protect our children is to follow the childhood immunization International Programs schedule and get them vaccinated against serious but preventable diseases. Raymond MacDougall, Director of Vaccines are one of medicine’s greatest triumphs because they prevent serious disease Communications David Bedell, Director, Educational and death. Many once common infectious diseases such as polio, mumps, whooping Programs cough, and rubella (German measles), are now only distant memories for most Americans. Kari Stoever, CCRP, Program Manager, Today in the United States, we have few reminders of the suffering, disabilities, and premature Human Hookworm Vaccine Initiative deaths caused by these vaccine-preventable diseases. Jean Mitchell, Development Officer Many of today’s parents have never even seen the diseases that vaccines prevent and Bruce Baiter, Assistant to the Chairman Karen Bodick, Assistant to the President don’t fully understand the significance of following the childhood immunization schedule. Vanessa Santiago, Assistant to the Instead, a parent may ask, “Why does my baby need so many shots?” Executive Vice President Before age two, every child should be immunized against 12 potentially serious vaccine- Ana Carvalho, Assistant to the Director, preventable diseases: measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping International Programs cough), polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib disease), hepatitis B, varicella Veronica Korn, Research Associate (chickenpox), pneumococcal disease and influenza. At least one shot is needed for each Christel Lane, Receptionist/Staff Assistant of these diseases, and for a few diseases, several doses are needed for the best protection. Jean-Serge Valcourt, Accounting Vaccines are given at this early age because the diseases they prevent are far more SVI ADVISORS serious or common among babies or young children. Up to 60 percent of severe disease Philip K. Russell, MD, Senior Advisor to caused by Hib in children is among babies less than 12 months of age. Moreover, 90 the Chairman percent of all deaths from whooping cough are among children under six months of age. Peter J. Hotez, MD, PhD, Senior Fellow & Chair, Scientific Advisory Council The ages that doctors recommend vaccines in the immunization schedule are not arbitrary. Anne Gershon, MD, Co-chair, Scientific They were chosen to give our children the earliest and best protection against disease. Advisory Council Vaccinating a child according to the immunization schedule protects not only that child Hugh E. Evans, MD, Sabin Fellow but also the entire community. Every day in the United States, there are 11,000 children William Muraskin, PhD, Sabin Fellow born who need to be fully immunized before two years of age. The 12 diseases that infant Patricia Thomas, Sabin Fellow Nancy Gardner Hargrave, Development immunizations prevent still exist and circulate in many parts of the world. For children Counsel who are not immune these diseases can still lead to pneumonia, blood infections, brain damage, liver, kidney or heart problems, skin deformation and blindness. VOLUNTEER Maria Maunahan, Website Updates Talk to your child’s health care provider about the childhood immunization schedule. Following it is one of the best ways parents can protect their children’s health. dedicated to disease prevention www.sabin.org 3 It Is Time for a Vaccines for Adults Entitlement Program Message from Dean Mason, President and Chief Executive Officer, SVI One of the most immediate and cost-effective government investment mea- Since the initiation of the VFC program the country has sures that could be taken to protect almost all Americans would be to establish sustained high levels of immunization coverage among a “Vaccines for Adults” (VFA) entitlement program. infants and children and record lows in vaccine prevent- In the early to mid-1990s, both the Bush and Clinton administrations