FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 26, 2005

American Social Health Association Urges Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to Help Eliminate Hepatitis B Virus Transmission in the United States

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC - The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) convened in Atlanta today for a two-day meeting to consider U.S. immunization recommendations, including Recommendations for Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination . The recommendations being considered by ACIP (the first revisions since 1991) could redefine the nation's hepatitis B screening and vaccination guidelines for public and private sectors for many years to come.

The American Social Health Association (ASHA), the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR), and many other concerned organizations have joined together to encourage ACIP to postpone a final vote on these recommendations until concerned stakeholders have had sufficient time to review the proposed recommendations.

ASHA is deeply concerned about the continued transmission of hepatitis B among persons at risk of or infected with HIV, other sexually transmitted infections, and hepatitis C. One of the most important roles of public health is to protect the health of America's most vulnerable populations. However, low rates of hepatitis B vaccination among adults at risk of hepatitis B infection (despite vaccine recommendations since the early 1980s) show our nation's failure to fulfill this public health mission. As such, the ACIP's policy recommendations on hepatitis B vaccination are of critical importance to the people and communities ASHA serves.

In anticipation of the ACIP meeting and opportunity for changes to the hepatitis B vaccine recommendations for adults, ASHA's President, James R. Allen, MD, MPH, wrote a letter to Larry Pickering, ACIP Executive Secretary, and Jon Abramson, MD, Chairman of the ACIP, urging the committee to seize a critical opportunity to help truly eliminate hepatitis B virus transmission in the United States. To view the complete letter, please click here now.>>