Infant Hepatitis B Vaccination Rate Still Down Two Years After Thimerosal Policy Statement.

Publication: Hepatitis Weekly

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COPYRIGHT 2001 NewsRX

2001 APR 23 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) --

by Sonia Nichols, staff medical writer - Public health officials in Wisconsin report infant vaccination rates for hepatitis B fell after a major policy statement on vaccine preservatives was announced in 1999.

During the summer of 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Public Health Service issued a joint policy statement about the use of thimerosal, a preservative that contains a form of mercury, in vaccines intended for use in children. But in September 1999, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that hospitals resume HBV vaccination at birth with a new thimerosal-free vaccine. This required hospitals that wanted to be compliant to change policies rapidly.

Investigators in Wisconsin, representing several public and private research organizations, have since concluded that the statement caused some hospitals to stop offering hepatitis B vaccines to newborn infants.

Preliminary and follow-up surveys were mailed to nurse managers of newborn nurseries at hospitals in Wisconsin that provided obstetrical services. In addition to information...

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