Release Date: November 6, 2009
Expiration Date: November 5, 2010

Disclaimer:

This activity was originally presented as a LIVE dinner symposium in Washington, DC on October 18, 2009 at the AAP National Conference and Exhibition. If you received credit for attending, you are not eligible to receive credit for the online version, but you are welcome to use it as a resource in your practice.

Media:

Downloadable PDF with PowerPoint slides and faculty transcript.

Activity Description and Statement of Need:

Childhood and adult deaths attributed to vaccine-preventable infectious diseases have been profoundly reduced with the implementation of routine vaccination schedule recommendations. However, over the years the vaccination schedule has become increasingly complex with the addition of new vaccines and vaccine combination options leading to challenges for providers to ensure all their patients are appropriately immunized. Additionally, a 2008 report found that the United States ranks last among industrialized countries in the number of vaccine preventable deaths.¹ Experts speculate that additional morbidity and mortality across all ages could be prevented through the optimal use of currently existing vaccines and through a better understanding of current vaccination recommendations.

In addition to revised recommendations, issues surrounding vaccine availability and safety have continued to emerge. These factors necessitate that healthcare providers be kept abreast of current Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations and guidelines. Much of the success attributed to vaccines is credited with disease prevention in infants and toddlers; however, a substantial proportion of the remaining morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases presently occurs among adolescents.^2,3,4

As vaccination rates continue to be suboptimal across ages and disease states, increased education and efforts are required. This symposium will offer insights into the current challenges of improving vaccination coverage through a case-based learning experience and will take a closer look at the efficacy of vaccines by thoroughly reviewing the evidence with a focus on pediatrics and adolescents.

¹Nolte E, et al. Health Aff. 2008; ²Roush S, et al. JAMA. 2007; ³Luman ET, et al. Am J Prev Med. 2008; ⁴Nichol KL, et al. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008.

Target Audience:

Pediatricians and related clinicians with an interest in immunizations for infants to adolescents.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Summarize recent changes to rotavirus and Hib recommendations in the 2009 vaccine schedule.
2. Discuss the latest seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccination recommendations.
3. Review supporting data to manage parental vaccine concerns in the pediatric practice.

Faculty Biographical Sketches and Disclosures:

In accordance with the Food and Drug Administration, the speakers have disclosed that there is the potential for discussions concerning off-label uses of a commercial product/device during this educational activity.

Any person who may contribute to the content of this continuing education activity must disclose significant relationships (and any known relationships of their spouse/partner) with commercial companies whose products or services are discussed in educational presentations. Significant relationships include receiving from a commercial company research grants, consultant fees, travel, other benefits, or having a self-managed equity interest in a company.

Disclosure of a relationship is not intended to suggest or condone any bias in any presentation but is made to provide participants with information that might be of potential importance to their evaluation of a presentation.

Dr. Dennehy is a Professor and Vice Chair of Pediatrics at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, the Vice Chair for Academic Affairs for the Department of Pediatrics, and the Director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, RI.

Dr. Dennehy is President of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and holds memberships in organizations like the Society for Pediatric Research and American Society for Virology. She is a past member of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Infectious Diseases, which is responsible for the Red Book. She is a reviewer for many publications, including Clinical Infectious Diseases, The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, and The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Dr. Dennehy received her Medical Degree at Tufts University School of Medicine and is Board Certified in Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Her primary areas of research include: the epidemiology and etiology of viral gastroenteritis and viral respiratory disease, rotavirus disease and prevention, and the testing of vaccines and immunobiologics for prevention of rotavirus, varicella, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus.

Dr. Dennehy has disclosed that she receives grant/research support from GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, and Sanofi Pasteur.

Dr. Bernstein is Professor of Pediatrics at Dartmouth Medical School and Children's Hospital at Dartmouth in Lebanon, NH. He earned his Medical Degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency training in pediatrics at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics.

Dr. Bernstein's extensive experience as a primary care pediatrician in a variety of settings has served as the inspiration for the direction of his professional life. As an academic generalist coming from a practice setting, his focus has always been to promote the health of children, their families, and the communities where they live by translating these clinical experiences into meaningful research that influences the manner in which children and their families receive care. His research focuses on issues important to community-based practice of primary care, including immunization development, education, and delivery, health promotion, preventative health services, technology, medical education, and advocacy.

Dr. Bernstein is a member of the Committee on Infectious Disease (CIOD/ Red Book Committee) of the AAP, whose responsibility it is to develop and revise guidelines of the AAP for control of infectious diseases in children. He also serves as the AAP Liaison to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' Influenza Workgroup. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the AAP's online learning system PediaLink® (www.pedialink.org), which utilizes state of the art information and communication technology to provide an interactive learning environment for practicing pediatricians and house staff.

Dr. Bernstein has disclosed that he is a consultant for Harvard Medical School and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He receives grant/research support from Merck, Meso Diagnostics, Novartis, Sanofi Pasteur, and Wyeth.

Dr. Marshall received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his Medical Degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. After completing a pediatric residency at Vanderbilt in 1986, he entered a fellowship in infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. In 1989, he joined the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, where he is now Professor of Pediatrics, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, and Director of the Pediatric Clinical Trials Unit. Dr. Marshall also serves as attending physician at Kosair Children's Hospital and maintains a busy outpatient infectious diseases practice.

During his tenure in Louisville, Dr. Marshall has been recognized as an astute clinician, effective educator, and productive investigator, receiving such awards as the Outstanding Clinical Professor Award, the University President's Young Investigator Award, and the Department of Pediatrics Educator of the Year Award. He is a member of the Society for Pediatric Research and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society Council and has authored over 100 scientific papers on topics as diverse as congenital cytomegalovirus infection, outcomes research in diagnostic microbiology, immunization practice, and tick-borne diseases. Dr. Marshall is perhaps best known nationally for his work in the areas of vaccine development, advocacy, and education; for his book entitled The Vaccine Handbook: A Practical Guide for Clinicians (now in its second edition); and for the widely-distributed periodical The Vaccine Quarterly.

Dr. Marshall has disclosed that he is a consultant, receives grant/research support, and is on the speakers' bureaus for GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novartis, and Sanofi Pasteur.

Planners:

The planners and managers have no financial or other relationship to products or devices with commercial interests related to the content of this CME activity.

Accreditation:

Medicine

Creative Educational Concepts, Inc. (CEC) is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. CEC designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AAP
This activity is acceptable for up to 1.0 AAP credit. This credit can be applied toward the AAP CME/CPD Award available to Fellows and Candidate Members of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Instructions:

To receive a statement of credit, you must:

• Review the full content of the activity and reflect upon its teachings
• Complete the questions and evaluation at the end of the activity

Statements of credit will be immediately available online for all healthcare professionals who successfully complete the activity and evaluation.

Process for Participants to Receive AAP Credit
AAP Credit for participants is recorded only when an participant submits a copy of his/her ACCME statement of credit, with AAP ID number, to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The address to mail the certificate is:

American Academy of Pediatrics
Attn: Transcript Coordinator
141 Northwest Point Blvd.
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-1098
FAX: 847-434-5088

Fee:

This activity is complimentary.

Unlabeled Use Disclosure:

This activity may include discussions of products or devices that are not currently approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or are currently investigational.

Acknowledgement of Commercial Support:

This activity was supported by an independent educational grant from GlaxoSmithKline.

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