Re: [news]State may require new 'pneumonia vaccine'for day-care children

[Guest guest]

Good grief - they lie so well.

It was never approved for pneumonia and ear infections - only bacteremia

and meningitis from 7 strains of pneumococcal bacteria.

Sheri

At 11:00 PM 03/07/2001 -0000, you wrote:

>Some more Prevnar hype. It will be interesting to see how it will be

>promoted in Australia.

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>http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/01/03/

>03073532.shtml?Element_ID=3073532

>

>State may require new 'pneumonia vaccine'for day-care children

>

>(Tennessee)

>

>By WARREN DUZAK

>Staff Writer

>

>The state is considering requiring a new vaccine — one that could

>eliminate some life-threatening childhood illnesses and painful

>inner-

>ear infections — for all children entering day care.

>

>Marketed under the brand name Prevnar, it is a sort of kids' version

>of

>what's commonly called the ''pneumonia vaccine'' for adults. It

>attacks

>the seven most common kinds of pneumococcal infections that strike

>children under the age of 2, including deadly pneumococcus meningitis.

>

>''We are talking about a vaccine that not only keeps a child well, but

>prevents them from developing absolutely devastating illnesses,'' said

>Jerry Narramore, director of immunization with the state Department

>of

>Health.

>

>It has been offered for several months at Metro's Lentz Health Center

>by the county health department.

>

>''It will also reduce the occurrence of the most severe sort of

>middle

>ear infection, which, though not life-threatening, is hugely

>bothersome,'' said Dr. Bill Schaffner, infectious diseases specialist

>at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

>

>In most cases, it will eliminate the need for placing tubes in a

>child's ears, a common practice to promote drainage. It also will

>eliminate the need for multiple doses of antibiotics to cure

>infection.

>

>Dr. son, the chief of pediatrics at Baptist Hospital,

>said

>a four-dose treatment of the vaccine costs $320. But Prevnar is so

>effective that many insurance companies are including it in their

>coverage, he said.

>

>Narramore said parents whose insurance companies will not pay and who

>cannot afford the vaccine can obtain it at no charge through public

>health departments around the state.

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