FROM: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
New guidance limits antibiotics for common infections in children
Get Smart About Antibiotics Week 2013 calls for responsible antibiotic prescribing
Every year as many as 10 million U.S. children risk side effects from antibiotic prescriptions that are unlikely to help their upper respiratory conditions. Many of these infections are caused by viruses, which are not helped by antibiotics.
This overuse of antibiotics, a significant factor fueling antibiotic resistance, is the focus of a new report Principles of Judicious Antibiotic Prescribing for Bacterial Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in PediatricsExternal Web Site Icon by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Released today during Get Smart About Antibiotics Week, the report amplifies recent AAP guidance and promotes responsible antibiotic prescribing for three common upper respiratory tract infections in children: ear infections, sinus infections, and sore throats.
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria evolve and are able to outsmart antibiotics, making even common infections difficult to treat. According to a landmark CDC report from September 2013, each year more than two million Americans get infections that are resistant to antibiotics and 23,000 die as a result.
“Our medicine cabinet is nearly empty of antibiotics to treat some infections,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “If doctors prescribe antibiotics carefully and patients take them as prescribed we can preserve these lifesaving drugs and avoid entering a post-antibiotic era.”
By providing detailed clinical criteria to help physicians distinguish between viral and bacterial upper respiratory tract infections, the recommendations provide guidance for physicians that will improve care for children. At the same time, it will help limit antibiotic prescriptions, giving bacteria fewer chances to become resistant and lowering children’s risk of side effects.
“Many people have the misconception that since antibiotics are commonly used that they are harmless,” says Dr. Lauri Hicks, a coauthor of the report and medical director of CDC’s Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work program. “Taking antibiotics when you have a virus can do more harm than good.”
These harms can be in the form of antibiotic side effects or promoting the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can then spread through a community.
CDC promotes responsible antibiotic use to consumers and health care providers through the combined efforts of the Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work and Get Smart for Healthcare programs, as well as during Get Smart About Antibiotics Week (Nov. 18–24, 2013) each year. State health departments, non-profit partners, and for-profit partners all contribute to the observance week’s success by spreading the word about when antibiotics work — and when they don’t.
This year’s activities include a Public Health Grand Rounds about the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in outpatient and inpatient settings on Tuesday, November 19 at 1 pm (EST). In addition, a Twitter chat on the topic will be held Friday, November 22 at 1 pm (EST). Follow the hashtag #CDCchat on Twitter and join in the conversation to talk with Dr. Frieden, CDC experts and other partners about your experiences with antibiotic resistance.
Showing posts with label AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Sunday, July 28, 2013
CDC WARNS THAT HPV VACCINE IS UNDERUTILIZED IN GIRLS AGED 13-17
FROM: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL
HPV vaccine: Safe, effective, and grossly underutilized
In a press conference held today, top officials from CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics announced that HPV vaccination rates in girls aged 13-17 years failed to increase between 2011 and 2012, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Three-dose coverage actually declined slightly from 2011 to 2012.
The article in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) drew on data from the 2012 National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen).
Among girls unvaccinated for HPV, 84 percent had a healthcare visit where they received another vaccine (such as one aimed at meningitis or pertussis) but not HPV vaccine. If HPV vaccine had been administered, vaccination coverage for ≥1 dose could be nearly 93 percent rather than 54 percent.
"Progress increasing HPV vaccination has stalled, risking the health of the next generation.," said CDC Director Tom Frieden M.D., M.P.H. "Doctors need to step up their efforts by talking to parents about the importance of HPV vaccine just as they do other vaccines and ensure its given at every opportunity."
According to CDC, for each year the 3-dose HPV vaccine series coverage remains near the current level of 33 perccent instead of achieving the Healthy People 2020 goal of 80 percent coverage, an additional 4,400 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 1,400 cervical cancer-attributable deaths will occur in the future.
The 2012 NIS-Teen data show that not receiving a healthcare provider's recommendation for HPV vaccine was one of the five main reasons parents reported for not vaccinating daughters. Healthcare providers are urged to give a strong recommendation for HPV vaccination for boys and girls aged 11 or 12 years.
The other responses parents provided indicate gaps in understanding about the vaccine, including why vaccination is recommended at ages 11 or 12.
"Parents need reassurance that HPV vaccine is recommended at 11 or 12 because it should be given well in advance of any sexual activity," said Dr. Frieden. "We don't wait for exposure to occur before we vaccinate with any other routinely recommended vaccine."
Parents also reported safety concerns as a reason for not vaccinating. In the seven years of post-licensure vaccine safety monitoring and evaluation conducted independently by federal agencies and vaccine manufacturers, no serious safety concerns have been identified. According to today's MMWR article, reports of adverse events after HPV vaccination to the Vaccine
Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) have steadily decreased from 2008 to 2012 and the numbers of serious adverse events reported has also declined since 2009.
Approximately 79 million Americans are currently infected with HPV. About 14 million people become newly infected each year. HPV is so common that nearly all sexually-active men and women will get at least one type of HPV at some point in their lives.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to ask about vaccination every time they take children for a healthcare visit. If a preteen boy or girl (aged 11 or 12 years) has not started the HPV vaccine series, make an appointment to get him or her vaccinated. Teens who haven't started or finished the 3-dose series should do so—it's not too late for them to receive HPV vaccine.
For many, it's easier than ever to get the HPV vaccine. Because of the Affordable Care Act, most private health insurance plans must cover the HPV vaccine at no out-of-pocket cost, meaning no co-pay or deductible. Visit https://www.healthcare.gov/what-are-my-preventive-care-benefits/#part=3External Web Site Icon for more information.
CDC officials urge healthcare providers to increase the consistency and strength of how they recommend HPV vaccine, especially when patients are 11 or 12 years old. Reviewing vaccination status at every healthcare encounter and taking advantage of every visit, including acute care visits, can increase HPV vaccine coverage in the United States.
HPV vaccine is an anti-cancer vaccine. Preteen and teens are relying on the adults in their lives to help protect them.
National and state vaccination coverage data for adolescent immunization will be released late August 2013 in the MMWR and will include HPV vaccine coverage for both girls and boys.
HPV vaccine: Safe, effective, and grossly underutilized
In a press conference held today, top officials from CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics announced that HPV vaccination rates in girls aged 13-17 years failed to increase between 2011 and 2012, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Three-dose coverage actually declined slightly from 2011 to 2012.
The article in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) drew on data from the 2012 National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen).
Among girls unvaccinated for HPV, 84 percent had a healthcare visit where they received another vaccine (such as one aimed at meningitis or pertussis) but not HPV vaccine. If HPV vaccine had been administered, vaccination coverage for ≥1 dose could be nearly 93 percent rather than 54 percent.
"Progress increasing HPV vaccination has stalled, risking the health of the next generation.," said CDC Director Tom Frieden M.D., M.P.H. "Doctors need to step up their efforts by talking to parents about the importance of HPV vaccine just as they do other vaccines and ensure its given at every opportunity."
According to CDC, for each year the 3-dose HPV vaccine series coverage remains near the current level of 33 perccent instead of achieving the Healthy People 2020 goal of 80 percent coverage, an additional 4,400 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 1,400 cervical cancer-attributable deaths will occur in the future.
The 2012 NIS-Teen data show that not receiving a healthcare provider's recommendation for HPV vaccine was one of the five main reasons parents reported for not vaccinating daughters. Healthcare providers are urged to give a strong recommendation for HPV vaccination for boys and girls aged 11 or 12 years.
The other responses parents provided indicate gaps in understanding about the vaccine, including why vaccination is recommended at ages 11 or 12.
"Parents need reassurance that HPV vaccine is recommended at 11 or 12 because it should be given well in advance of any sexual activity," said Dr. Frieden. "We don't wait for exposure to occur before we vaccinate with any other routinely recommended vaccine."
Parents also reported safety concerns as a reason for not vaccinating. In the seven years of post-licensure vaccine safety monitoring and evaluation conducted independently by federal agencies and vaccine manufacturers, no serious safety concerns have been identified. According to today's MMWR article, reports of adverse events after HPV vaccination to the Vaccine
Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) have steadily decreased from 2008 to 2012 and the numbers of serious adverse events reported has also declined since 2009.
Approximately 79 million Americans are currently infected with HPV. About 14 million people become newly infected each year. HPV is so common that nearly all sexually-active men and women will get at least one type of HPV at some point in their lives.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to ask about vaccination every time they take children for a healthcare visit. If a preteen boy or girl (aged 11 or 12 years) has not started the HPV vaccine series, make an appointment to get him or her vaccinated. Teens who haven't started or finished the 3-dose series should do so—it's not too late for them to receive HPV vaccine.
For many, it's easier than ever to get the HPV vaccine. Because of the Affordable Care Act, most private health insurance plans must cover the HPV vaccine at no out-of-pocket cost, meaning no co-pay or deductible. Visit https://www.healthcare.gov/what-are-my-preventive-care-benefits/#part=3External Web Site Icon for more information.
CDC officials urge healthcare providers to increase the consistency and strength of how they recommend HPV vaccine, especially when patients are 11 or 12 years old. Reviewing vaccination status at every healthcare encounter and taking advantage of every visit, including acute care visits, can increase HPV vaccine coverage in the United States.
HPV vaccine is an anti-cancer vaccine. Preteen and teens are relying on the adults in their lives to help protect them.
National and state vaccination coverage data for adolescent immunization will be released late August 2013 in the MMWR and will include HPV vaccine coverage for both girls and boys.
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