| Every Child By Two March/April 2000 Newsletter Text Only Version IMMUNIZATION REGISTRIES BRIEFING Monday, May 1st- 3pm to 4pm-Childhood Immunization Briefing, 708 Hart Senate Office Building ( 2nd and Constitution, near Union Station Metro stop). For additional information or contact Every Child By Two at (202) 783-7034 or info@ecbt.org. An Invitation From Members of Congress and health staff are invited to an important briefing to learn why immunization registries are critical to sustaining the high immunization rates and low disease levels we now enjoy in the United States. 11,000 babies are born every day. All of these babies need 18-22 shots to protect them from life-threatening diseases and keeping track of which children have had which shots can be confusing - to parents and to health care providers. Immunization registries are now under development in all 50 states, and many cities, counties and regions across the country. They provide doctors, nurses, parents and communities with the accurate, up-to-date information they need to ensure all children are adequately immunized. They also help to increase vaccine safety and can streamline health care providers’ practices. But we have yet to establish a stable and adequate source of funding for these important tools. A distinguished panel of health experts will discuss why immunization registries are essential to sustaining high immunization rates, who they benefit, and Congress’ role in ensuring the continued development of a nationwide system of immunization registries. Welcome: Speakers: William Foege, MD, MPH
Dr. Foege will provide the historical perspective of registry development, from conception to realization. Walter Orenstein, MD
Dr. Orenstein will provide an overview of the development of registries including information regarding the allocation of 317 funds towards registry development activities. Gregory Gilmet, MD, MPH
Serving as both a physician & health plan administrator, Dr. Gilmet will provide his perspective on the benefits of registries. Margaret McChesney, RN Ms. McChesney will discuss how the Arizona immunization registry was utilized to significantly increase immunization compliance in daycare settings, thereby reducing disease incidence. Sponsors include: Senator
Reed (RI),
Senator Durbin (IL), Senator Enzi (WY), Representative Green (TX),
Representative
Greenwood (PA), Senator Feinstein (CA), Senator Harkin (IA), Senator
Jeffords
(VT), Senator Kennedy (MA), Senator Specter (PA), Representative Waxman
(CA) LACK OF DATA SUBSTANTIATING CONNECTION BETWEEN VACCINES AND AUTISM MADE EVIDENT In the wake of a much debated Government Reform Committee hearing on autism chaired by congressman Dan Burton (R-IN) on Thursday, April 6, one theme seems to have emerged: the need for more autism research. Witnesses appearing on both sides of a debate regarding a link between autism and the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine seemed to meet on common ground by agreeing to the importance of increased funding for research into the causes and treatment of autism. Congressman Waxman declared his support for H.R. 3301, the Children's Health Research and Prevention Amendments of 1999, which includes a request for increased funding to the National Institutes for Health for research into autism. Additional bills have been introduced in the House. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by behaviors that include withdrawal from social interactions, communication and repetitious patterns. Autism is four times more common in boys than girls. Although the incidence of autism has increased dramatically in recent decades, some believe that this increase is due to a broadening of diagnostic criteria and better surveillance measures. Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), ranking member of the Government Reform Committee, and several witnesses registered concern that the sensationalization of the autism-MMR connection, a connection without scientific basis, might result in a decrease in the public's confidence in MMR and other vaccines, and a subsequent increase in vaccine preventable diseases. Dr. Paul Offit, Chief of Infectious Diseases at the University of Pennsylvania and member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to the CDC, declared that "no evidence exists that proves the association between vaccines and autism." Dr. Offit addressed each of three theories presented consistently by those who purport such links. The first theory is that children who get the measles vaccine produce an immune response not only to the vaccine, but also to their own nervous system. Dr. Offit explained that "the immune response to natural infection is greater than the immune response to immunization. If the immune response is greater after natural infection, then the autoimmune response would also be greater. If this were the case…if measles virus caused autism, measles vaccination would lower, not raise, the incidence of autism." The second theory is that the child's immune system is simply overwhelmed by seeing three viruses in a vaccine at the same time. However, according to Offit, "the newborn has billions of immunologic cells that are capable of responding to millions of different microorganisms…therefore, the three vaccines in MMR, or even the 10 vaccines given in the first two years of life, is literally a raindrop in the ocean of what infants successfully encounter in their environment every day." The final theory is that MMR vaccine is given by an unnatural route, injection, while children would normally inhale measles, mumps or rubella. Dr. Offit explained that encountering viruses or bacteria under the skin or within the muscles does occur naturally via cuts and the lymph glands are capable of meeting this challenge. Every Child By Two supports the continued routine provision of MMR vaccine to all children. We know that measles epidemics occurred in England when MMR coverage declined because of the decline in public confidence in vaccines. ECBT is dedicated to the health of our nation's children and strongly urges parents to continue to immunize their children. ECBT also support efforts to increase research into the causes and treatment of autism, which clearly has devastating effects on families financially, emotionally and socially. For more information on
autism, contact
the National Alliance for Autism Research: For additional press releases visit http://www.ecbt.org/NBC.html To view legislation information on the Internet, visit: http://thomas.loc.gov/. -HR274: Autism Statistics,
Surveillance,
Research and Epidemiology Act of 1999 ADDITIONAL NEWS STORIES American Academy of Pediatrics Says Evidence Confirms No Link Between Autism and Vaccines WASHINGTON, April 6 In response to a U.S. House Government Reform Committee hearing today, the American Academy of Pediatrics wants to reassure parents that vaccines are the safest way to protect children against potentially devastating infectious diseases. "What a tragedy it would be for any child to suffer the consequences of a disease that could have been prevented by vaccination," AAP President Donald Cook, M.D., said. If parents refuse to immunize their children, this country will see a resurgence of epidemics of these diseases. The measles epidemic of l989-1991 in this country affected more than 55,000 people; 11,000 were hospitalized and more than 120 died. A major cause of the epidemic was failure to vaccinate children on time at 12-15 months of age. The congressional hearing is focusing on autism, including an unsubstantiated link to vaccines such as MMR (measles, mumps and rubella). "While I support any effort to discover the reason a child has autism, current scientific data indicate that vaccines are not the cause," Dr. Cook said. Autism manifests itself in the first three years of life, which is the same time a child is being vaccinated, but timing is the only link. A study in the British medical journal Lancet found similar autism rates among children who received the MMR vaccine and those who had not. A report commissioned by Britain's Medical Research Council and released this week found that there was no link between MMR and autism or bowel disorders. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports aggressive research into the causes, treatment and prevention of autism as many questions remain. The perceived increase in autism cases could be attributed to a number of factors, and additional study is needed. Vaccines are developed through rigorous research designed to ensure safe and effective products. These products are then subjected to another level of intense scrutiny in order to assure that recommendations about immunization practices and procedures reflect the best available science. Once approved for use, there is a robust system of checks and balances that monitors the safety and efficacy of vaccines. A child's chance of being harmed by an infectious disease like measles or mumps is far greater than any risk of being harmed by the vaccine. These diseases have not been eliminated, only kept at bay through widespread childhood immunization. Measles, for example, can lead to pneumonia or an infection of the brain and can cause death. Mumps can cause an infection in the lining of the brain and death. To help inform parents
about the
benefits and risks of vaccines, the Please see below from the American Public Health Association regarding April 6 Burton hearing. Vaccines are Integral Component of Good Public Health In response to today's U.S. House Government Reform Committee hearing on autism and infant vaccines, the American Public Health Association (APHA) expresses its strong and continued support for universal immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases. "We strongly recommend that health care providers and parents continue to immunize their children, since the health of all children could be seriously jeopardized by a drop in immunization rates," said Mohammad N. Akhter, MD, MPH, executive director of APHA. "Furthermore, APHA advocates that efforts be made to ensure the highest safety standards in vaccine development, manufacture, and distribution, in order to limit adverse effects. These efforts must include research directed to the elimination of the rare unfavorable reactions to immunizations." In spite of the most exhaustive scientific research, a small number of reactions may still be experienced. These occasions, like any adverse health effect, are truly devastating for those affected. However, it is important to remember that serious consequences will result for many more people if we reduce our immunization programs. Vaccine-preventable diseases can cause widespread blindness, deafness, brain damage, mental retardation, heart defects, sterility, miscarriage, paralysis and death. The American Public Health
Association,
the largest and oldest organization of public health professionals,
represents
more than 50,000 members from over 50 public health occupations and
strongly
supports efforts to eliminate communicable diseases through
immunizations
and other means around the world. Date April 06, 2000 Time 06:30 PM - 07:00 PM Station NBC-TV Location Network Program NBC Nightly News Tom Brokaw, anchor: Tonight, sorting out troubling questions about a heartbreaking disease for children and their families: autism. A hearing in Washington today to address fears that routine childhood vaccinations might somehow be to blame. Here's NBC's Robert Hager. Robert Hager reporting:
Gina Smith (Mother): He will never play on a sports' team. He will never be able to go to an amusement park. He does--he won't be able to go to birthday parties. The stimulation is more then he can handle. Hager: Autism is a severe developmental disorder. Victims seem isolated from the world around them and for unknown reasons the number of cases reported among children is growing fast, now more than fifty thousand. Today, parents appealed to Congress for help. Gina Smith came from Louisiana to tell how Jacob's problem seemed to come on suddenly at sixteen months. Smith: (Clip from video of congressional testimony) The light behind his eyes was replaced with a blank, lost, bewildered stare. Hager: Kenneth Curtis came from Maryland to tell about his son. Kenneth Curtis (Father): (Clip from video of congressional testimony) I know there are things that my son wants to say to me, and as he gets older I can--I can look into his eyes and I can see the frustration and the confusion. Hager: The hearing chaired by Congressman Dan Burton who has a personal reason for finding answers: an autistic grandson. And Burton believes it might have been triggered by the routine immunization shots all children get for measles, mumps, rubella and more. A controversial theory, but some feel it needs investigation. (Visual of a bottle of Measles, Mumps, Rubella virus serum). Bernard Rimland (Autism Research Institute): I don't necessarily believe that children should not be vaccinated. I think that much more research needs to be done on the safety of the vaccines. I think much more judgment needs to be exercised in the using of vaccines. Hager: But the government's two pre-eminent health agencies, the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes for Health, told Congress today there's no evidence at all to link autism and vaccinations. Said autism seems to be inherited and seems to develop before birth, even when it doesn't appear until months after birth. Dr. Paul Offit (University of Pennsylvania): The scientific study that has been done has shown us clearly that vaccines don't cause autism. Hager: But doctors admit they are a long way from knowing what does cause the disorder. Not only that but there is no known cure, even as government spending to find out more has quadrupled in recent years. A long way from answers for Congressman Burton, for parents like Gina Smith, her son Jacob, and tens of thousands more with this baffling disorder. Robert Hager, NBC News,
Washington. "After Disputes, House Panel Asks for Study of a Vaccine" New York Times (www.nytimes.com) (04/07/00) P. A19; Hilts, Philip J. Leaders of the House
Government Reform
and Oversight Committee have agreed to ask the Department of Health and
Human Services to study the possible link between vaccination and
autism.
Several witnesses spoke at Thursday's hearing, which was called by the
committee's chairman, Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.), whose granddaughter has
autism. Current research has not shown any connection between the onset
of autism and the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, but many parents
describe their children suddenly exhibiting symptoms of the disorder
after
vaccination. Autism is characterized by a failure to speak,
withdrawal
from social behavior, and repetitive motions. Rep. Henry Waxman
(D-Calif.)
warned that it is important not to scare parents into mistrusting
vaccines because that could result in deaths from diseases that are
preventable.
While a recent study from Dr. Brent Taylor of the Royal Free and
University
College Medical School in London refutes previous research that
suggested
the MMR vaccine may cause some cases of autism, some people are
concerned
by rising rates of autism in several nations--including the United
States--although
that could be, in part, the result of increased publicity and awareness
of the condition. Press release issued today by Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases. National Parent Organization Underscores Commitment to Helping Children Live Stronger and Healthier Lives WASHINGTON, April 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The national parent advocacy organization, PKIDs (Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases), is committed to protecting our nation's children against diseases that have life-long effects on their health and development. In response to a U.S. House Government Reform Committee hearing on autism (Thursday, April 6), PKIDs voices its support for more resources for autism research and stresses that there is no scientific evidence linking autism to immunization. "There is a long way to go in understanding autism. As a nation, we cannot ignore the need for research to find a cure for this severe and very prevalent neurological disorder," said Trish Parnell, director of PKIDs. "Autism affects more than 400,000 families and costs the nation over 13 billion dollars a year -- it deserves as much public attention and research as other childhood diseases." Although autism is currently the third most common developmental disorder, it receives less than five percent of the funding for research of other childhood diseases, like multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis. Funding for research into diseases such as autism is an integral part of finding a cure. In hopes of improving the quality of children's health across the country, PKIDs lends its support to H.R. 3301, the "Children's Health Research and Prevention Amendments of 1999" that would amend the Public Health Service Act in regards to children's health. NO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE LINKING IMMUNIZATION TO AUTISM While PKIDs advocates for additional resources for autism research, it does not condone the spread of false and misleading information linking autism to childhood vaccination. PKIDs strongly encourages parents to continue immunizing their children with scientifically proven safe and effective vaccines. "Today's high immunization rates are what is protecting us from outbreaks of measles, rubella, diphtheria and polio," said Dr. Ed Marcuse, Director, Medical Services at Seattle's Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center. "If we stopped vaccinating, costly outbreaks of these vaccine-preventable diseases would return as surely as spring follows winter with devastating consequences for some families." Over the past 50 years,
vaccines
have gained control over or virtually eliminated diseases that
used
to be very common in the U.S., including measles, diphtheria, polio,
smallpox,
rubella, Hib meningitis and mumps. But, other diseases such as
hepatitis
B, varicella and pneumococcal meningitis are still common, resulting in
serious illness for many families. In fact, even in the U.S.,
where
immunization rates are the highest, approximately 1 million pre-school
children are not adequately protected against potentially For more information,
please call
877-55-PKIDS or log onto http://www.pkids.org.
Los Angeles Times Copyright 2000 Times Mirror Company Los Angeles Times April 7, 2000, Friday, Home
Edition AUTISM-VACCINE LINK RAISED
IN HEARING; BYLINE: SUNNY KAPLAN, TIMES STAFF WRITER Declaring that autism has reached "epidemic" proportions, the head of San Diego's Autism Research Institute testified Thursday at a hearing on Capitol Hill that the disease may be linked to routine vaccines that millions of children are required to receive--a theory that is disputed by other medical experts. Bernard Rimland, a research psychologist who has studied the symptoms and possible causes of autism for 35 years, joined other scientists, public health officials and parents of autistic children to discuss the increasing rates of autism throughout the country. The hypothesis that the disease may be linked to vaccines is of particular controversy, and many public health officials argue that it is "extremely unlikely" there is a causal relationship. "To date there has been no convincing scientific evidence that links any vaccine to autism or any other kind of behavioral disorder," said Dr. Thomas R. Reardon, president of the American Medical Assn., in testimony submitted to the House Committee of Government Reform, which called the hearing. But Rick Rollins, a co-founder of an autism research center at UC Davis and the father of an autistic 9-year-old son, said a California state study released last spring that showed a 273% increase in autism over an 11-year period is a strong argument for further research into a possible vaccine-autism connection. "There is not one single thing here that may be the cause. This is a complicated disease," said Rollins, a former secretary of the California Assembly. "But we need to really accelerate good scientific research and funding." Autism is a developmental disorder marked by social isolation, uncommunicativeness and strange repetitive behaviors that can range from mild to profound. It is three to four times more common in boys than in girls and is usually apparent by age 3. No cure exists, but some problems can be alleviated with intensive behavioral therapy. Candace Pert, a research professor in the department of physiology at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, said that, while recent research has shown a genetic contribution to autism, the findings suggest that no more than 20% of autism cases are genetic. Some proponents of the theory that vaccines may cause autism say the sheer number of vaccines that children receive--at least two dozen doses before they enter first grade--may overload a young child's immune system. Some parents of autistic children point anecdotally to the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine as the most likely culprit, saying that their children were "normal" until they received that vaccine, which is typically administered from age 12 months to 15 months. Rimland's findings mirror that hypothesis. "Autism starting at 18 months rose very sharply in the mid-1980s, when the MMR vaccine came into wide use," he said. Dr. Michael Goldberg, a Los Angeles pediatrician and director of the Neuro Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Research Institute, hypothesizes that vaccines do not necessarily cause autism but serve as catalysts for the disease in children who are genetically predisposed to it. Goldberg said that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine can serve as a common trigger for autism because it is highly "immunogenic," meaning that it stimulates the immune system. Yet another hypothesis is that mercury, which is often used as a preservative in vaccines, may be related to autism. The presence of heavy-metal toxicity, notably mercury, has been found in some autistic children. Environmental toxins may also be a contributing factor, as is pointed out in a study recently finished, but yet to be released, conducted by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry on Brick Township, N.J., a community north of Atlantic City where the childhood prevalence of autism is reputed to be 1 in 200. Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.), who chairs the committee that called the hearing, has a 3-year-old grandson whose autism he attributes to vaccination. But Burton said he is "not against vaccinations" and doesn't think that every autistic child acquires autism after receiving childhood immunizations. In a news conference preceding the hearing, Burton said that the rise in the disease is not just an "aberration." The federal Department of Health and Human Services "says there is no correlation between shots and the dramatic rise in autism. I am very concerned about the closed-minded attitude of this agency," Burton said. He continued to say that he intends to subpoena people from the pharmaceutical industry to appear before his committee to explain the dramatic increase in autism. Rep. Henry A. Waxman of Los Angeles, the committee's ranking Democrat, agreed that vaccines "shouldn't be off the table" as a theory for the increase but said "we must not get ahead of science or raise a false alarm." Waxman also criticized the
proceedings
as skewed toward proponents of the theory that vaccines cause autism.
Copyright 2000 Knight
Ridder/Tribune
News Service Parents tell congressional committee that vaccine sickened their children BYLINE: By Huntly Collins Distraught parents told a congressional committee Thursday that a vaccine aimed at preventing measles, mumps and rubella likely caused their children to become autistic. But various experts, including officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said there was no scientific evidence to support the alleged link between autism and the so-called MMR vaccine. They warned that such false information could lower immunization rates and leave the nation vulnerable to a measles epidemic like the one that killed 123 children, including nine in Philadelphia, in 1990-91. "If, as a result of reading about this hearing, some parents choose to withhold or delay vaccines for their children, their tragedy could be profound," said Dr. Paul Offit, chief of infectious disease at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a member of the CDC advisory panel that decides what vaccines will be recommended for American children. The debate came during a daylong hearing in Washington before the House Committee on Government Reform, chaired by Rep. Dan Burton, R.-Ind. Burton, who also has been holding hearings on the military's controversial anthrax vaccine, said his grandson, Christian, became autistic after getting the MMR vaccine. "I can't believe that's just a coincidence," he said, adding that scientists who say that autism is a genetic disorder are "just nuts." Burton came under fire from Rep. Henry Waxman, D., Calif., the committee's ranking minority member, for using the committee hearing as a bully pulpit to promote an unproven _ and potentially dangerous _ notion. "This hearing was called to establish a point of view _ a point of view established by the chairman," Waxman said. The MMR vaccine, developed by Merck & Co., has become the cornerstone of pediatric health in the United States. It involves one shot that protects children against three diseases that used to be among the leading causes of death and disability. Typically, babies are vaccinated at 12 months and given a booster when they turn 4. Two developments have prompted the notion that the MMR vaccine may cause autism.One is an apparent rise in the prevalence of autism, from about 5 cases per 10,000 births to 12 cases per 10,000 births between 1966 and 1985, according to federal officials. But Coleen Boyle, head of the CDC's disabilities branch, told the committee that the apparent rise in the autism rate may be due to expanded definitions of autism and greater public awareness of the disorder rather than an actual increase in the incidence of the problem. Another factor fueling the debate is a controversial small study by Andrew Wakefield, a British gastroenterologist, who found that 8 of 12 children developed autism soon after getting the MMR vaccine. Wakefield defended his work before the committee Thursday, but his findings were rebutted by Dr. Brent Taylor, another British physician, who studied 498 children with autism in North London and found no connection with the MMR vaccine. He said Wakefield's work had had "a major effect" on public confidence in the vaccine, with immunization rates in England dropping from about 90 percent in 1995 to 75 percent last year. "The same thing could happen in the United States," Taylor said. Autism is a brain-based developmental disorder in which children typically engage in repetitive behaviors such as rocking; speak little or not at all, and make little eye contact, seemingly immersed in their own private world. The cause of the disorder is not clear, but numerous genes have been implicated. During the hearing, Burton assailed Offit's credibility, suggesting that the infectious disease expert from Children's Hospital shouldn't be allowed to sit on the CDC's vaccine advisory board because he is currently developing a vaccine against rotavirus, which causes severe diarrhea among children, in collaboration with Merck. But Dr. Benjamin Schwartz, a CDC vaccine official, said the 12-member board required scientists to disclose any financial ties that might give the appearance of a conflict. He said the agency sought out experts like Offit because they are the most knowledgeable about infectious disease and the vaccines to prevent them. Coverage of the hearing from the Philadelphia Inquirer (c) 2000, The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit Philadelphia Online,
the Inquirer's
World Wide Web site, at NATIONAL INFANT
IMMUNIZATION WEEK
IS APRIL 16-22, 2000. National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is April 16-22, 2000; this year's theme is "You Gave Them Life...Protect It." This week emphasizes the importance of timely infant and childhood vaccination. Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect children, especially infants and young children, from potentially serious diseases. Because of increased vaccination efforts in the United States, eight vaccine-preventable diseases are at or near record low levels. In 1999, 86 measles cases, eight congenital rubella cases, one diphtheria case, and no wild poliovirus cases were reported (1,2). Approximately 11,000 babies are born each day in the United States; they need 16-20 doses of vaccine before age 2 years. Although vaccination coverage levels are high for preschool-aged children, approximately 1 million 2-year-old children are missing one or more of the recommended vaccine doses (3). During NIIW, states and communities will sponsor activities designed to highlight the need to achieve and maintain high childhood vaccination coverage rates. In addition, CDC will launch a new television public service announcement (PSA) and two radio PSAs in Spanish. Additional information about NIIW and childhood vaccinations is available from CDC's National Immunization Program World-Wide Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/nip or the National Immunization Information Hotline, telephone (800) 232-2522 (English) or (800) 232-0233 (Spanish). References BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION AWARDS $18 MILLION GRANT TO SABIN VACCINE INSTITUTE Albert B. Sabin Vaccine
Institute For Immediate Release
Contact: John M. Clymer
H. R. Shepherd
Joe Cerrell (for the Bill
& Melinda
Gates Foundation) Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation
Awards $18 Million Grant Funds for development of hookworm vaccine New Canaan, Conn. - The Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute announced today that it has received an $18 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The funds will be used for the development of a vaccine to prevent hookworm infection. Approximately one-quarter of the world's population is infected with hookworm. "This grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation represents enlightened philanthropy because it will help us over the major economic barriers that have prevented development of a hookworm vaccine," said H. R. "Shep" Shepherd, chairman of the Sabin Vaccine Institute. "This is a huge step toward democratizing healthcare throughout the world," said Shepherd. "Hookworms infect about one billion people, mostly in developing countries. They stunt children's growth, sap victims' energy and make them anemic. A vaccine is the only realistic way to protect all people from this parasite." Peter J. Hotez, called "one of the world's few hookworm experts," in a 1998 Washington Post article, said, "Hookworm is a particularly serious problem in rural China. In some villages, more than one half of the population is infected." Hotez frequently visits remote areas of China to conduct research as a visiting professor at the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine's Institute of Parasitic Disease and the Peking Union Medical College. The parasite is estimated to be similarly prevalent in India, and is a major health problem in certain Latin American countries, as well. "Hookworms infect people of all ages but they are particularly devastating in children," explained Hotez. "Chronic hookworm-associated intestinal blood loss leads to iron deficiency and protein malnutrition. These conditions often retard intellectual and physical growth," according to Hotez. People who are treated for hookworm tend to become reinfected, he added. "The technology exists to make a vaccine to control hookworm but the resources available for this task have been meager," Hotez said. "Now, with this grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we can move ahead to develop a vaccine that will free millions of the world's most economically disadvantaged people from this scourge." No single sector - academia, government or industry - can develop a vaccine alone, Shepherd noted. The Sabin Vaccine Institute will draw on expertise and resources from each sector to translate scientific knowledge about hookworm antigens into a real product that helps people lead healthier lives, he said. "We are proud to support the Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute and its quest to find a hookworm vaccine, which will free millions of the world's most economically disadvantaged people from this disease," said Gordon W. Perkin, M.D., director of the Global Health Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Sabin Vaccine Institute is a nonprofit educational and research foundation. Its mission is to save lives by stimulating development of new vaccines and by increasing immunization rates. It was founded in 1993 and named for Albert B. Sabin, developer of the oral polio vaccine that has been at the heart of the nearly-complete worldwide effort to eradicate paralytic polio. The Institute's headquarters is in New Canaan, Connecticut and it has an office in the Washington, DC area. Additional information about the Institute is available at www.sabin.org. The Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation
is dedicated to improving people's lives by sharing advances in health
and learning with the global community. Led by Bill Gates'
father,
William H. Gates, Sr., and Patty Stonesifer, the Seattle-based
Foundation
has an asset base of approximately $21.8 billion. Preventing
disease
among poor children by expanding access to vaccines, and developing
vaccines
against malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, are central
priorities.
Other major efforts include extending unprecedented opportunities for
learning
by bringing computers with Internet access to every eligible public
library
in the U.S. and Canada, and providing scholarships to academically
talented
minority students with severe financial need through the Gates
Millennium
Scholars Program (www.gmsp.org/(n21zfs455o5gciuvf33ubjeo)/default.aspx).
For complete information and grant guidelines, visit www.gatesfoundation.org/default.htm.
UPCOMING EVENTS: March
23 and
30, April 6, 13, 2000 April
17-May
18, 2000: CME Teleconference Series April
26-29,
2000 April
30-May
2, 2000: The Third Annual Conference on Vaccine Research in Washington,
DC. May 1, 2000 May 3
- 5,
2000: June 23 - June 28, 2000: American Nurses Association's 2000 Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. Call the ANA customer care center at (800) 274-4ANA to have conference information mailed to you or visit their website, http://www.ana.org/conventn/2000/index.htm, for more information. June
25-27,
2000 July
5-8, 2000: Every Child By Two's publication, Immunization Registries are the Gift of a Lifetime, is now available in a free-of-charge, smaller version. Extremely useful for informing your governor's office, local elected officials, managed care organizations and healthcare providers regarding your interest in registry development. Visit http://www.ecbt.org/registrybook.html to view the online version or http://www.ecbt.org/irglorder.html for ordering information. Back
to newsletter Copyright
© 2000 ECBT.
All rights reserved.
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