Immunization Alliance
Encyclopedia
The Immunization Alliance is an American
vaccine
advocacy consortium, assembled under auspices of the American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP) in May 2008. The Immunization Alliance has called for a governmental information campaign, ongoing research into vaccine safety and efficacy, balanced media coverage, and restoration of confidence among parents due to the vaccine controversy
and the related controversies in autism
.
outbreak in the US since 1966 (130 cases in fifteen states), Paul Offit
, a member of the Alliance, asserted that this re-emergence of a common childhood disease was a warning about the dangers of "what can happen when parents are misinformed about vaccine safety." "We do not want to become a nation of people who are vulnerable to diseases that are deadly or that can have serious complications, especially if those diseases can be prevented," said Renee Jenkins, president of the AAP.
The Immunization Alliance was described in the July, 2008, issue of Pediatrics
(published by the AAP), announcing the organization's debut and detailing its plans for improving vaccine schedule adherence and combating declining immunization
rates.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
advocacy consortium, assembled under auspices of the American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics is the major professional association of pediatricians in the United States. The AAP was founded in 1930 by 35 pediatricians to address pediatric healthcare standards. It currently has 60,000 members in primary care and sub-specialist areas...
(AAP) in May 2008. The Immunization Alliance has called for a governmental information campaign, ongoing research into vaccine safety and efficacy, balanced media coverage, and restoration of confidence among parents due to the vaccine controversy
Vaccine controversy
A vaccine controversy is a dispute over the morality, ethics, effectiveness, or safety of vaccinations. Medical and scientific evidence surrounding vaccinations generally demonstrate that the benefits of preventing suffering and death from infectious diseases outweigh rare adverse effects of...
and the related controversies in autism
Controversies in autism
Controversies in autism encompass the disagreement over the exact nature of autism, its causes and manifestations. Autism is considered to be a neurodevelopmental condition which manifests itself in markedly abnormal social interaction, communication ability, and patterns of interests.The cause of...
.
Emergence
Citing the largest measlesMeasles
Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
outbreak in the US since 1966 (130 cases in fifteen states), Paul Offit
Paul Offit
Paul A. Offit, M.D., is an American pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases and an expert on vaccines, immunology, and virology. He is the co-inventor of a rotavirus vaccine that has been credited with saving hundreds of lives every day. Offit is the Maurice R...
, a member of the Alliance, asserted that this re-emergence of a common childhood disease was a warning about the dangers of "what can happen when parents are misinformed about vaccine safety." "We do not want to become a nation of people who are vulnerable to diseases that are deadly or that can have serious complications, especially if those diseases can be prevented," said Renee Jenkins, president of the AAP.
The Immunization Alliance was described in the July, 2008, issue of Pediatrics
Pediatrics (journal)
Pediatrics is an official peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In the inaugural January 1948 issue, the journal's first editor, Hugh McCulloch, articulated the journal's vision: "The content of the journal is... intended to encompass the needs of the whole child in his...
(published by the AAP), announcing the organization's debut and detailing its plans for improving vaccine schedule adherence and combating declining immunization
Immunization
Immunization, or immunisation, is the process by which an individual's immune system becomes fortified against an agent ....
rates.
Member organizations
Over twenty organizations, representing a broad swath of the American medical community, have banded together with the AAP to form the Immunization Alliance, including:- Academy of Family Physicians
- American Academy of PediatricsAmerican Academy of PediatricsThe American Academy of Pediatrics is the major professional association of pediatricians in the United States. The AAP was founded in 1930 by 35 pediatricians to address pediatric healthcare standards. It currently has 60,000 members in primary care and sub-specialist areas...
- American Academy of Physician AssistantsAmerican Academy of Physician AssistantsThe American Academy of Physician Assistants is the largest professional organization of physician assistants in the United States of America. It was founded in 1968 and currently has approximately 39,000 members in all 50 states, District of Columbia, US Virgin Islands and Northern Marianas...
- American College of Preventive MedicineAmerican College of Preventive MedicineFounded in 1954, the American College of Preventive Medicine is a U.S.-based physician organization focused on practice, research, publication, and teaching of evidence-based preventive medicine...
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians
- American Medical AssociationAmerican Medical AssociationThe American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
- American Public Health AssociationAmerican Public Health AssociationThe American Public Health Association is Washington, D.C.-based professional organization for public health professionals in the United States. Founded in 1872 by Dr. Stephen Smith, APHA has more than 30,000 members worldwide...
- America's Health Insurance Plans
- Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
- California Immunization Coalition
- Every Child By TwoEvery Child By TwoEvery Child By Two is a non-profit health advocacy organization, based in the United States and founded in 1991, dedicated to protecting children from diseases through the promotion of vaccinations and raising parental awareness of potential vaccine benefits...
- Immunization Action Coalition
- Infectious Diseases Society of AmericaInfectious Diseases Society of AmericaThe Infectious Diseases Society of America is a medical association representing physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who specialize in infectious diseases. As of 2010, IDSA had approximately 9,000 members...
- March of DimesMarch of DimesThe March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
- National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
- National Vaccine Program OfficeNational Vaccine Program OfficeThe National Vaccine Program Office is an office of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that plays a role in the coordination of vaccine policy.It was established by the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act....
- Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
- Sabin Vaccine InstituteSabin Vaccine InstituteThe Sabin Vaccine Institute is a non-profit, 501 organization dedicated to reducing needless humansuffering from vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases through prevention and treatment...
- UnitedHealth GroupUnitedHealth GroupUnitedHealth Group Incorporated is a diversified health and "well-being" company. Headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, UnitedHealth Group offers a spectrum of products and services through two operating businesses: United Healthcare and Optum. Through its family of subsidiaries and divisions,...
- Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaChildren's Hospital of PhiladelphiaThe Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is one of the largest and oldest children's hospitals in the world. CHOP has been ranked as the best children's hospital in the United States by U.S. News & World Report and Parents Magazine in recent years. As of 2008, it was ranked #1 in the nation for...
- Voices for Vaccines
External links
- AAP.org - "New Immunization Alliance Issues National Call to Action', American Academy of PediatricsAmerican Academy of PediatricsThe American Academy of Pediatrics is the major professional association of pediatricians in the United States. The AAP was founded in 1930 by 35 pediatricians to address pediatric healthcare standards. It currently has 60,000 members in primary care and sub-specialist areas...
(Sept. 18, 2008)