Following the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a vaccine targeting cervical cancer, Women in Government, a national, bi-partisan, non-profit organization representing women state legislators, today recommended that all girls entering middle school be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV), the cause of cervical cancer. The recommendation is part of the group's new policy recommendations for the HPV vaccine's implementation in the states. The group also supports parental exemptions to the HPV vaccine, based on existing state immunization exemptions. The new HPV vaccine policy recommendations are part of Women in Government's "Challenge to Eliminate Cervical Cancer Campaign," which mobilizes state legislators to help eradicate cervical cancer through education and policy initiatives. Since 2004, 45 states have introduced legislation or resolutions tackling this issue.

In June 2005 and June 2006, the ACIP made policy changes for use of live, attenuated varicella containing vaccines for prevention of varicella.

CDC released a revised interim Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) for Tdap vaccine. It is identical to the previous interim version except for minor changes in Section 3 that reflect ACIP's evolving recommendations regarding use of Tdap during pregnancy.

On many occasions, MCN staff has heard from colleagues in the area of migrant health that the official legislated definition of a Migrant or Seasonal Farmworker used in HRSA funded health centers is not representative of the population now being served in many M/CHCs. In order to have a clearer understanding of the opinions held by our colleagues, MCN initiated a 3 week-long survey in June, 2006 to gather information from individuals providing direct health services about the possible strengths or weaknesses of the definition of migrant currently in use. Here are the results.

New ACIP recommendations on HPV and Varicella vaccines. Update Mumps Outbreak.Influenza Season Update.