Teenagers in England to be vaccinated against meningitis group W

Source: The BMJ, 2015; 350

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Date of publication: March 2015

Publication Type: News

In a nutshell: Teenagers in England are to be vaccinated against meningitis W after a worrying rise in the incidence of meningococcal group W disease since 2009. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has recommended that a vaccination programme for 14-18 year olds should be implemented as soon as possible, to generate herd protection against meningitis W for the rest of the population. The independent advisory committee said, “Levels of disease were consistent with an outbreak situation, with cases and deaths occurring in all age ranges, constituting a public health emergency.” The Department of Health for England has accepted the advice and is now planning a vaccination programme that will use an already licensed quadrivalent conjugate vaccine that protects against four meningitis serotypes: A, C, W, and Y. This would replace the group C vaccine already offered to teenagers.

Length of publication: 1-page news story

Autism Occurrence by MMR Vaccine Status Among US Children With Older Siblings With and Without Autism

Source: JAMA, 2015; 313(15): 1534-1540

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Date of publication: April 2015

Publication Type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: Importance  Despite research showing no link between the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), beliefs that the vaccine causes autism persist, leading to lower vaccination levels. Parents who already have a child with ASD may be especially wary of vaccinations. Objective  To report ASD occurrence by MMR vaccine status in a large sample of US children who have older siblings with and without ASD… Conclusions and Relevance  In this large sample of privately insured children with older siblings, receipt of the MMR vaccine was not associated with increased risk of ASD, regardless of whether older siblings had ASD. These findings indicate no harmful association between MMR vaccine receipt and ASD even among children already at higher risk for ASD.

Length of publication: 6-page article

See also: Nursing Times news report No link between MMR and autism, concludes major US study

Understanding the aims of the childhood influenza immunisation programme

Source: British Journal of School Nursing, 2015, (10) 3, pp. 116 – 118

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Date of publication: April 2015

Publication Type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: In 2013, the childhood influenza immunisation programme was introduced in the UK and will eventually be rolled out to include all healthy 2–17-year-olds. It is therefore important that school nurses are well informed on the programme and prepared for its delivery. This article is the first of a series on the childhood influenza immunisation programme, it provides an overview of the aims of the programme, its delivery, the uptake results and outcomes of some of the school-aged pilots and useful resources.

Length of publication: 3-page article

How innovations will boost adult immunisation programmes in the UK

Source: British Journal of Healthcare Management, 2015, (21) 3, pp. 136 – 140

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Date of publication: March 2015

Publication Type: Journal Article

In a nutshell: National healthcare systems are increasingly required to adapt to rigorous budgetary constraints to maintain their level of service. As a result, efficiency in healthcare delivery has now become paramount. The authors investigated several innovative immunisation programmes for adults in the UK and the USA—all of which were recognised for their successful health outcomes. A practical framework was then derived, which the authors believe could significantly help policy makers, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and other health stakeholders better organise the process of vaccination.

Length of publication: 5-page article

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Immunisation Horizon Scanning Volume 6 Issue 11