CDC working on own recommendations for RSV immunizations

Published by Jeff | Filed under Causes

Today we were contacted by a PR rep for MedImmune (the manufacturer of Synagis – RSV immunization drug).  She found our blog while researching families’ struggles in getting RSV immunizations, and came across this post.  She felt it did an “amazing job of expressing the parent perspective of the AAP’s revised guidelines“.  She also stated that the Center for Disease Control’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is currently working to create their own recommendations for RSV immunizations.

Whether or not these new recommendations are ever accepted by the AAP and the medical industry (as a whole) is completely out of our hands, but we can all attempt to make a difference by spreading the word about the seriousness of RSV.  Some of the ways she recommended getting involved are as follows (Kerry and I plan on doing all of them):

–Post about the upcoming ACIP meetings and how concerned parents can get involved on your blog – CHECK

–Send a letter, call, or meet with ACIP Committee member Dr. Franklyn Judson, of the Colorado School of Public Health at UC Denver

–Send a letter, call, or meet with your local legislators asking for their support in writing the ACIP on behalf of this issue

–Send a letter to the editor(s) to your local newspapers about this issue

–Send a letter to the Chair of the ACIP Committee (address below)

2009 AAP (COID) Redbook guidelines restrict RSV Care for numerous preterm infants, but new hope emerges in 2010 thanks to the CDC ACIP RSV “work group.”

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common virus that generally causes mild, cold-like symptoms in adults, kids and most babies.  However, in premature infants, due to immature lungs and immune systems, RSV can cause severe lung infection and is a very serious health concern.  RSV remains the leading cause of hospitalization in babies one year old or younger.

The 2009 Academy of Pediatrics (Committee on Infectious Diseases) RSV Red Book guidelines published in May, 2009 restricted access to care for RSV for premature infants born between 32 and 35 weeks gestational age (GA).

If these recommendations are implemented, approximately 145,000 high-risk infants who would have received RSV care over the last decade may either be denied care altogether or become subject to a sub-optimal regimen that has not been tested in any clinical trial.

Controversy and concern regarding the COID decision in this fragile population has prompted the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to form an RSV work group devoted to fully reviewing all the available RSV data.

Advocates, health care practitioners, and parents alike have expressed their hope the process will be thorough, transparent, and considerate of all stakeholders.  Many physicians and organizations have written alternate guidelines, consensus statements and/or adaptations to the COID Redbook guidelines.

The RSV work group will hold public meetings in Atlanta, GA on June 23-24 and October 27-28, 2010. CDC welcomes public comment, live and written testimony.  Letters can be mailed to Carol Baker:

CHAIRMAN, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
Carol J. Baker, M.D.
Professor of Pediatrics
Texas Children’s Hospital
Feigin Center
1102 Bates Avenue
Suite 1120
Houston, TX 77030

To Registration for the June meeting, the deadline is June 11^th. Register at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/

Live meetings:
June 23-24, 2010
October 27-28, 2010

To our friends and readers – PLEASE let us know if you’d like to be involved, and we’ll make it happen.