GVSI Bulletin 3rd quarter 2013

In light of the upcoming GVSI meeting in November, the 3rd GVSI bulletin is now available online. It includes a progress report on vaccine safety activities in the Americas, summaries of two GVSI stakeholders’ activities, introduces the chair of the GVSI Planning Group, and provides an update on the Multi Country Collaboration project.

• Download the latest GVSI Bulletin
  pdf, 316kb
• More information on the GVSI Bulletin

In July 2013, a user manual using the revised WHO causality assessment methodology was published and is currently available online. This aide-mémoire is a synopsis of the revised methodology that complements the user manual and replaces the previous aide-mémoire. It provides the assessor an outline of the new causality assessment process to enable the classification of individual AEFI cases in a standardized, transparent manner so that health officials at all levels are able to respond to vaccine safety alerts logically and scientifically.

• Revised aide-mémoire

People are concerned about vaccinations, especially when it is their own child who must be vaccinated. All health-care workers giving vaccines have a responsibility to listen to and try to understand a patient's concerns, fears, and beliefs about vaccination and to take them into consideration when offering vaccines. These efforts will not only help to strengthen the bond of trust between staff and patient but will also help determine which, if any, arguments might be most effective in persuading these patients to accept vaccination.
The Q&A; addresses common misconceptions and provide suggestions to respond to these.

• Q&A; on myths and facts about vaccination available

The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) held its regular meeting on 12-13 June 2013. On that occasion, GACVS reviewed the experience of four Asian countries that are using 5-in-one vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenza type b. A statement has been prepared that describes the data reviewed and the committee’s conclusion. This statement will subsequently be part of the regular GACVS report scheduled to be published on 19 July 2013.

• GACVS statement on pentavalent vaccine use in Asia