Immunization News
CDC Announces Limited Rabies Vaccine Supply
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been notified by Novartis, maker of RabAvert ® (Rabies Vaccine), that the supply of human rabies vaccine is being used at a higher rate than expected, which may affect the near-term availability of vaccine for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). This development follows the August 14 news release by Sanofi Pasteur, which announced the unavailability of the IMOVAX ® vaccine until late September-early October. Because of limited existing supplies, the CDC strongly recommends that health care providers, state and local public health authorities, animal control officials, and the public take immediate steps to ensure appropriate use of human rabies biologics. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) human rabies prevention recommendations outline animal exposures associated with the risk of rabies. Judicious and appropriate use of rabies vaccines is crucial to avert a situation in which persons exposed to rabies are put at increased risk due to depleted vaccine supplies.
To ensure that thorough risk assessments are conducted, Novartis is now requiring that health care providers confer with public health officials, and obtain a confirmation code from a state health department before ordering vaccine doses for post-exposure prophylaxis. Confirmation codes will be updated at a frequent interval. These codes should only be released by a state/local health authority that has reviewed the known facts of a given exposure and determined they indicate a sufficient level of exposure risk as outlined in the ACIP human rabies prevention recommendations.
Public health authorities, health care providers, and veterinarians are encouraged to educate the public regarding precautions to avoid rabies exposure and actions to take if an exposure occurs. These precautions include vaccinating pets and livestock that have close human contact, avoiding stray and wild animals, and safely capturing or detaining biting animals (preferably using animal control officials), or obtaining owner contact information for follow up. For specific guidance, please see www.cdc.gov/rabies. Persons with possible rabies exposure should be evaluated as soon as possible by a health care provider. Since PEP is an urgent medical issue but not an emergency, it can be delayed until animal rabies testing or clinical observation is completed. This approach not only limits administration of PEP to persons with confirmed rabies exposure, but it is also cost-saving and conserves limited resources.
Reimbursement for Medicare Part D Vaccines Made Easier
eDispense Vaccine Manager
There is a new online opportunity for physicians to access real-time claims processing for in-office distribution of Medicare Part D vaccines, for which administration fees recently moved from Part B to Part D.
Through eDispense™ Vaccine Manager, a Web portal produced by Dispensing Solutions Inc., physicians and approved staff members can provide patients with medications quickly and safely at the point of care. Available at no cost to physicians, Vaccine Manager verifies patient eligibility, submits the vaccine and administration fee claim electronically, and communicates patient financial responsibility, such as the co-pay and deductible, and provider reimbursement.
Enrollment with eDispense includes a network agreement that allows Vaccine Manager to contract with Part D payers on behalf of the enrolled physicians. Reimbursement for the vaccine and administration fee is paid to Vaccine Manager, which is then passed through to participating physicians. Vaccine Manager is paid a processing fee by the Part D payer.
eDispense informed us that they are close to 5,000 physicians registered at this time and are adding an average of 20 to 30 new practices averaging 2 to 3 physicians every day. They now have contracts representing more than 17 million Medicare beneficiaries and are in the process of finalizing contracts with many more regional and local Medicare D plans.
Vaccinations for Adults: You're NEVER too old to get immunized!" Now available in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, French, Korean, Russian, and Vietnamese.
Read about Dr. Angela McLean's experiences
in vaccinating patients in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.
ACP signs on to the NFID's Call to Action: Influenza Immunization Among Health Care Personnel.
Novartis launches online resource for ordering Fluvirin
CDC has started a "late season" influenza vaccination web page to help promote continuing vaccination during the entire influenza season. Please visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/late-season.htm
CDC Releases Dear Colleague Letter on Influenza
CDC released a Dear Colleague letter to healthcare and public health professionals in response to recent surveillance reports indicating that influenza activity is on the rise.
For those providers who anticipate having excess vaccine on hand following the influenza season, the CDC has established a web site with information about how to obtain a refund for the vaccine excise tax. The site is here.
GSK announcing preordering for influenza vaccine for the 2008-2009 influenza season.
Influenza Vaccine News
Be Sure To Give Influenza Vaccine Throughout The Influenza Season--from Fall 2007 Through Spring 2008
Influenza vaccination should continue from now into the early months of 2008.
Visit the following websites often to find the information you need to keep vaccinating. Both are continually updated with the latest resources.
Influenza Vaccine Information and Material Updates
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently launched a seasonal influenza website. This site is continually updated with resources valuable to health professionals and patients.
New features to this website include:
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A Flu Galley Grid that contains materials intended for health professionals to use to promote influenza vaccine to their patients. All materials can be downloaded and printed.
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The What's New web section offers a listing of CDC's new print resources pertaining to influenza, organized chronologically by the most recent posting date.
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Influenza materials are also available in other languages. Some CDC influenza materials are available in Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and/or Chinese.
The American Lung’s Association Flu Clinic Locator will once again serve as a national collecting point for anyone seeking to locate influenza vaccination in their locality. The ALA’s locator will be relaunched soon and available online. This upcoming season, it is likely that there will be links from this site to the influenza vaccination locators of public health clinics. Those public health clinics without their own locator are strongly encouraged to participate in the ALA’s.
The Summit’s Influenza Vaccine Availability Tracking System (IVATS) was developed to address the difficulty health care providers may experience when trying to determine which wholesale distributors or manufacturers have influenza vaccine in stock for sale or on order. It is intended for use by: (1) health care providers seeking vaccine; and (2) influenza vaccine wholesale distributors or manufacturers with vaccine in stock for sale and/or on order. IVATS is currently being updated and should be live next week. At that time, wholesale distributors and manufacturers who distribute influenza vaccine will have the opportunity to list their vaccine availability online. IVATS is online but again, is being updated.
ACP Endorses Health Care Worker Vaccination
ACP signs on to the NFID's Call to Action: Improving Influenza Vaccination Rates in Adults and Children with Diabetes
Take the CDC Vaccine Quiz
Did you know that certain vaccines are recommended for adults and adolescents? Take this quiz to find out which vaccines YOU may need.
ACP Endorses ACIP Recommended Adult Vaccine Schedule
Immunization Action Coalition revises five of its professional and patient-education print materials.
A Comprehensive Immunization Strategy to Eliminate Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the United States: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Part II: Immunization of Adults
Promote HCW Vaccination
CDC has recently updated posters and flyers for healthcare worker (HCW) vaccinations, “Healthcare Workers! Are your vaccinations up-to-date?” The updated materials reflect the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP’s) new pertussis vaccine recommendations.
Page updated: 02/27/08
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