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By now you may have seen the media coverage of the extraordinary, secret memo leaked from the Trump White House. Incredibly, this memo criticizes Trump’s former Secretary of Health and Human Services for recognizing the importance of childhood obesity. And it describes childhood obesity as “Not a priority of this administration.” The memo claims childhood obesity was a priority of the high-flying Secretary “for inexplicable reasons” and that the initiative “should probably be reversed.” Are you kidding me? Have they seen last week’s study from HHS suggesting that childhood obesity hasn’t leveled off, but may still be increasing? Perhaps they are the only people in the country who haven’t heard that childhood obesity has tripled in the last two decades and leads to diabetes, heart attacks, and cancer—major contributors to our nation’s sky-high health care costs. It gets worse. The memo suggests that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention actually “shift money away from chronic disease!” Is it possible they are unaware that “chronic diseases” means diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, and that they are responsible for seven out of every 10 deaths and more than 75 percent of the nation’s $2 trillion medical care costs? Please help us push back against the ignorance and short-sightedness coming out of this White House. Childhood obesity has tripled in the last two decades and leads to diabetes, heart attacks, and cancer — major contributors to our nation’s sky-high health care costs. This execrable memo needs a muscular response. Can the Center for Science in the Public Interest count on you to help? Please give today. We’ll be your voice as we take on this latest Trump outrage.
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The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends annual influenza vaccination for all health care personnel to reduce influenza-related morbidity and mortality among both health care personnel and their patients (1–4). To estimate influenza vaccination coverage among U.S. health care personnel for the 2015–16 influenza season, CDC conducted an opt-in Internet panel survey of 2,258 health care personnel during March 28–April 14, 2016. Overall, 79.0% of survey participants reported receiving an influenza vaccination during the 2015–16 season, similar to the 77.3% coverage reported for the 2014–15 season (5). Coverage in long-term care settings increased by 5.3 percentage points compared with the previous season. Vaccination coverage continued to be higher among health care personnel working in hospitals (91.2%) and lower among health care personnel working in ambulatory (79.8%) and long-term care settings (69.2%). Coverage continued to be highest among physicians (95.6%) and lowest among assistants and aides (64.1%), and highest overall among health care personnel who were required by their employer to be vaccinated (96.5%). Among health care personnel working in settings where vaccination was neither required, promoted, nor offered onsite, vaccination coverage continued to be low (44.9%). An increased percentage of health care personnel reporting a vaccination requirement or onsite vaccination availability compared with earlier influenza seasons might have contributed to the overall increase in vaccination coverage during the past 6 influenza seasons.
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In an effort to promote all vaccinations as an important prevention method for protecting against serious, and even deadly diseases, CDC has updated its #VaxWithMe social media campaign to encourage individuals to be aware and up-to-date on recommended vaccines for themselves and their family for every stage of life.
The new #VaxWithMe campaign seeks to drive visibility of vaccination across a person’s lifespan, spark engagement around the importance of vaccination for all ages, and generate a movement that encourages individuals to be aware of recommended vaccinations for all ages, lifestyles, jobs, travels, and health conditions.
CDC encourages individuals to join the campaign by sharing messages, post, tweets, photos, and videos with the hashtag #VaxWithMe on social media to promote their support and participation in getting recommended vaccinations.
Learn more about the new #VaxWithMe campaign here!
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Opinion from JAMA — Immunization Policy and the Importance of Sustainable Vaccine Pricing
The individual, societal, and economic benefits of disease prevention resulting from childhood and adult immunization programs in the United States are without question. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describing the benefits of vaccination of the 2009 birth cohort through 18 years of age estimated that 20 million cases of vaccine-preventable disease will not occur, 42 000 early deaths related to these diseases will be avoided, and $76 billion in direct and indirect costs will be averted. This economic benefit stands in stark contrast to the comparatively small cost for vaccine purchases. The estimated vaccine purchasing cost for a similar birth cohort based on 2015 pricing is $7.8 billion, based on CDC costs, and $11.6 billion at private sector pricing. Development of a novel vaccine is a risky and expensive endeavor with research, licensing, and production costs approaching or exceeding $1 billion. For a small company attempting to secure capital venture funding or for an established pharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative vaccines, expectation of a return on investment is essential. Pricing of licensed, newer vaccines generally far exceeds production costs, but revenue drives future vaccine development. The difficult question becomes what is a reasonable return on investment? Greater transparency regarding vaccine pricing and cost of development is needed.
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The vaccination of children from 1994 to 2013 will prevent 732,000 early deaths in the United States, according to a recent estimate by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In a report published last month, the agency announced that 90 percent of children under age 3 were vaccinated against polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B and chickenpox in 2014. But fewer than 90 percent received DTaP — the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis — or the vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae Type B, pneumococcal disease, hepatitis A and rotavirus.In addition, fewer than 90 percent received the recommended hepatitis B dose at birth.
About 71 percent of children received the combined vaccine series — shots containing more than one vaccine, including the DTaP (at least four doses); polio (at least three doses); measles, mumps and rubella (at least one); Haemophilus influenzae Type B (at least three or four); hepatitis B (at least three); chickenpox (at least one); and pneumococcus (at least four doses).
Only 0.7 percent of children received no vaccines at all.
“The really positive message here is that even though we hear a lot about vaccine refusal, most parents choose to protect their children,” said Dr. Amanda Cohn, a pediatrician with the C.D.C. “It’s impressive that so many parents are coming in to get their children vaccinated on time. Parents, providers and government have worked together to accomplish this.”
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[From STAT Morning Rounds:] Determined to rein in the opioid epidemic, CDC director Dr. Anne Schuchat is introducing a new campaign to raise awareness about prescription drug abuse in America. The ads feature the stories of patients and families impacted by prescription drug overdoses. “A lot of times, [opioids] are prescribed without the patient asking or recognizing the harm,” Schuchat tells STAT. Health officials are trying to encourage patients to talk to their doctors from the get-go when they’re prescribed opioids. “We want the public to be comfortable asking questions. And we don't want it to be too late by the time that you're hooked,” Schuchat says. The videos will be initially be released in four states hit hard by prescription drug overdoses: West Virginia, Rhode Island, Oregon, and Ohio. The agency also updated its data this week on the rate of prescription drug overdose deaths in recent years. Take a look at the shift above —the darker the color, the higher the rate of prescription drug overdose deaths — and find the full data here.
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Dealing a blow to AstraZeneca in its largest FluMist Quadrivalent market, a CDC committee has recommended against any use of the nasal vaccine for the upcoming season. It’s a setback that AZ says it’s still working “to better understand” as the pharma navigates a changing flu vaccine landscape.
The U.S. accounted for more than two-thirds of FluMist Quadrivalent's revenue last year, with $206 million of its $290 million in global sales.
In issuing its recommendation, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices weighed "data showing poor or relatively lower effectiveness" from three previous flu seasons. In late May, the body received data showing that FluMist was just 3% effective in children aged 2 to 17 during the 2015-2016 flu season, compared with an estimated 63% effectiveness for flu shots. ACIP said "no protective benefit could be measured" from the nasal vaccine.
AstraZeneca said some of the CDC data doesn't jibe with its own or with findings from studies by independent health authorities in the U.K. and Finland. The company said its vaccine was 46% to 58% effective overall last season.
What's odd, as Reuters reports, is that the CDC back in 2014 recommended FluMist over injectable competitors due to its superior efficacy at the time. Children are often given the nasal vaccine to avoid injections.
AstraZeneca said it’s communicating with the agency to learn more. [Also read "Flu Shot Doesn't Work as Well as #pharma Clinical Data Suggest"']
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joins Jesse Ventura and takes on Big Pharma & the Vaccine Industry - Watch now on Ora.TV/OffTheGrid. No TV network will allow you to talk about [vaccines],” says Robert F. Kennedy Jr, in this frank discussion with Jesse Ventura.The activist and attorney is calling out Big Pharma, stating vaccines are “pay dirt” for the industry.Kennedy proves how far Big Pharma will go - and how deep its pockets are lined - to push unnecessary vaccines on consumers.Watch this interview to learn how far this industry will go, including the CDC, to cover-up the most alarming truths about our health system. Further Reading:
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