June 14, 2018

SUMMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Summer summit calls

With the start of summer, we will be holding Summit calls on a monthly basis unless situations demand a more frequent call schedule. Expect weekly Summit calls to resume in September 2018.

The next Summit call will be on June 28, 2018 where we will have a summer influenza surveillance update and an ACIP meeting update.

Call summaries are posted to the Summit website shortly after each call. Please email L.J Tan or LaDora Woods if you have any updates on activities to provide the Summit.

UPCOMING EVENTS

JUNE 14 – Barriers to Access: Reforming Medicare Coverage of Vaccines webinar at 1–2 pm ET

Adult immunization rates in the United States remain well below Healthy People 2020 targets. The disparate coverage of vaccines under Medicare creates significant barriers to increasing adult immunization uptake. For example, cost sharing under Medicare Part D limits beneficiary access and separation of vaccine coverage across Medicare Parts B and D creates challenges for providers and beneficiaries.

Avalere’s vaccine thought leaders will discuss:

Vaccine access challenges for Medicare beneficiaries
Potential reforms to Medicare coverage of vaccines at the legislative and regulatory levels\
Avalere’s readiness to support immunization stakeholders.

Presenters include:

Richard Hughes, Senior Director, Policy (moderator)
Cynthia Tudor, Senior Advisor
Haile Dagne, Manager, Market Access & Reimbursement
Emily Sobel, Manager, Policy

Persons wishing to participate in the webinar may register online.

Grand Challenge for Universal Influenza Vaccine Development from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is excited to announce the opening of a new Grand Challenges grant opportunity: Ending the Pandemic Threat: A Grand Challenge for Universal Influenza Vaccine Development.

This Grand Challenge is being launched during the centenary year of the 1918 flu pandemic, with the goal of identifying novel, transformative concepts that would lead to development of a truly universal flu vaccine. Such a vaccine would alleviate the need for annual seasonal influenza vaccination campaigns and would prepare the world for the next influenza pandemic.

Application deadline is June 22, 2018.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation look forward to receiving innovative ideas from around the world on the open grant opportunities listed above. If you know someone who may have a great idea, please forward this message. And they invite you to explore an interactive world map of ideas funded to date across the global Grand Challenges network.

2018 World Influenza Conference, Co-Sponsored by the Summit with International Partners, Will Be Held in Beijing, China, September 7–10, 2018

We are pleased to announce the upcoming 2018 World Influenza Conference taking place in Beijing on September 7-10, 2018. The meeting has been developed through a global partnership comprising ESWI, isirv, NAIIS, and with our Chinese partners the CPMA, China CDC, and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS).

While we are expecting at least 1,200 Chinese nationals to attend the meeting, the number of seats available for international attendees will be limited to around 350. As Summit partners, we want to be sure that you are given the opportunity to attend this very important meeting.

While we have waived the registration fee, it will be the responsibility of all attendees to meet their own travel and accommodation costs – financial assistance will not be available.

Please also note that the process for obtaining a visa for China can be complicated and protracted, so if you are genuinely interested in attending, you should start making arrangements now.

e-Poster Exhibition
All subscribers are invited to submit a poster abstract. They must be in the format described on the APACI website. A template is available. Successful abstracts will enable automatic registration for the authors. A separate Poster alert will be issued.

Politico’s Annual Health Care Summit Will Focus on Vaccine Hesitancy

Vaccines are one of the greatest advances in medicine and an extremely important pillar of prevention. Paradoxically, vaccine hesitancy is on the rise and diseases we thought were soon to be a thing of the past – such as measles – are resurfacing.

Join POLITICO and Le Temps’s 3rd Annual Health Care Summit on October 8–9 in Geneva to tackle today’s important issues in health care:

What are the future breakthroughs in immunization?
How can we address vaccine hesitancy? How can we further build immunity globally?

Participate in the discussion and hear from distinguished speakers such as:

Riina Sikkut, Minister of Health and Labour, Republic of Estonia
Rachel Dunscombe, CEO, National Health Service (NHS) Digital Academy
Jayasree K. Iyer, Executive Director, Access to Medicine Foundation
Carlo Pettinelli, Director for Consumer, Environmental and Health Technologies – DG GROW, European Commission
Professor Guido Rasi, Executive Director, European Medicines Agency (EMA)

When: October 8-9, 2018
Where: Campus Biotech, Geneva
Early Registration: Sign up and benefit from our Crazy Early Bird rate on any payment by June 15.

Politico are looking for partnership opportunities. Get in touch with Simona Romeo.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Available Online; Six Online Training Sessions to Help Implement Standing Orders Protocols (SOPs) for Adult Immunization

Looking for an evidence-based method to help increase adult immunization rates? Wondering about using SOPs but don’t know where to start? The content for this comprehensive six-part series available online 24/7 will help your healthcare setting implement SOPs for adult immunizations. Speakers include immunization experts Drs Deborah Wexler, William Atkinson, and Litjen Tan. Attending this series does not earn Continuing Education (CE) credit. The series is developed and provided by IAC, IDCareLive, and Pfizer.

Registration is free, but is required in order to view any session. The link will bring up a short registration form to create a free IDCareLive account, if you don’t already have one. After signing up, you will be transferred directly to the intended page.

MMWR Publishes ACIP Influenza Policy Statement on June 12, 2018

There were two flu-related pieces published in the MMWR dated June 12, 2018:

Also, the number of flu-related pediatric deaths for the 2017–2018 was updated. The additional pediatric death brings the total number to 172, surpassing the previous record. A spotlight was posted on the CDC website: CDC Reported Flu Deaths in Children Exceeds Seasonal High.

CDC has released key points on the seasonal flu activity summary and the pediatric deaths.

AAP Influenza Immunization Recommendations Revised for 2018–19 season

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently published an article in its AAP News magazine with additional background on the AAP influenza vaccine recommendations for the 2018–19 season (LAIV reintroduction). Dana Bright from the Academy is willing to serve as a resource to any of you should you have questions.

GSK Urges Proper Storage, Reconstitution, and Administration of RZV

GSK is seeking assistance from partners to reinforce important education and communication about the storage, reconstitution, and administration of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV).

RZV was approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on October 20, 2017. As this new vaccine begins to reach clinics and pharmacies, and ultimately patients, GSK has received a small number of reports from the field of maladministration of RZV. These reports of observed usage of RZV suggest that the root cause of maladministration has been the utilization of the storage requirements and route of administration established for zoster vaccine live (ZVL). Since ZVL and RZV have different storage requirements and routes of administration, GSK is asking that Summit partners include in your communications regarding RZV the specific storage and administration requirements of RZV.

This will help ensure that the storage and administration of RZV is executed according to the instructions outlined in the FDA approved product labeling. Please include and emphasize the following information in your education and communications on RZV to reinforce its proper storage, reconstitution and administration:

Storage, Reconstitution and Administration of RZV

RZV is to be stored in the REFRIGERATOR ONLY. RZV must be discarded if frozen.
RZV MUST BE reconstituted with the ADJUVANT LIQUID SUSPENSION (AS01) provided.
RZV is to be administered INTRAMUSCULARLY ONLY. It is NOT to be administered subcutaneously.

Don’t Forget CDC’s Public Health and Health Care Professionals’ Resources for Influenza

CDC offers public health and health care professionals key information about vaccination, infection control, prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of seasonal influenza related to the 2017-2018 season. It also includes information about recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for the prevention and control of seasonal influenza for the 2017-18 influenza season. Other resources, such as the link to the full presentation of the January 16 session of CDC Grand Rounds: Public Health Response to Severe Influenza, the transcript for CDC Telebriefing on Widespread Flu Activity on January 12, links to the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWRs) about influenza, videos as part of the CDC Expert Commentary Series on Medscape, and a link to the CDC Health Advisory: Seasonal Influenza A(H3N2) Activity and Antiviral Treatment of Patients with Influenza are also provided.

CDC’s seasonal flu vaccination campaign materials are available to assist partners in communicating about the importance of vaccination. This digital toolkit includes details on events/activities, sample social media and newsletter content, graphics, web assets, and media prep material. This material is downloadable, shareable, and some of the material is customizable.

INFORMATION FROM CDC

CDC Influenza Updates

The FluView report published on May 25 and the key points distributed on the same date are the final such documents for the 2017–2018 U.S. flu season.

Influenza surveillance in the U.S. will continue through the summer months and a condensed FluView report will be available each Friday.

Full FluView reporting for the 2018–2019 season will resume on October 12, 2018. Regular distribution of key points by email will resume in the fall as well.

Of note this week, however, is a web spotlight on pediatric deaths for the 2017–2018 season.

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST

CDC Reports Pediatric Flu Deaths Were High This Season

The 2017–2018 flu season was severe, resulting in 172 pediatric deaths across the country. This number could potentially increase as reporting to the CDC can be delayed. Alarmingly, approximately 80% of the deaths occurred in children that did not receive the influenza vaccine this season. This further emphasizes the importance of an annual influenza vaccine as well as patient education. Studies have demonstrated that individuals who receive the influenza vaccine are less likely to die from flu complications.

Will You Catch the Flu? The Answer Could Be in Your Blood

During last winter’s severe flu season, you may have found yourself worrying about whether you’d catch the notorious virus. But what if there was a way to predict whether you’d get the flu or whether you’d make it through the season scot-free?

Early research suggests that this may indeed be possible.

Information on this finding is available in articles in a Stanford news release, as well as articles in LiveScience and Genome Medicine.

New England Journal of Medicine Publishes Novavax’ NanoFlu Clinical Trial Data

The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published a peer-reviewed letter to the editor detailing the positive results from Novavax’ Phase 1/2 clinical trial in older adults comparing its Matrix- M™ adjuvanted nanoparticle seasonal influenza vaccine candidate (NanoFlu) to the leading licensed egg-based, high-dose influenza vaccine (IIV3-HD). A media release also is available.

Getting Influenza Raises Heart Attack Risk, Especially in Seniors: Study

Having the flu appears to increase the risk of having a heart attack, especially among those aged 65 and older, an Ontario study suggests.

“What we found is that you’re six times more likely to have a heart attack during the week after being diagnosed with influenza, compared with a year before or a year after the infection,” said Dr. Jeff Kwong, lead author of the study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

United States Influenza Vaccination Program Has Caused Meaningful Reductions in Outpatient Visits for Influenza

In a recent publication in Vaccine, researchers show that in addition to preventing hospitalizations and deaths due to influenza, influenza vaccination programs can reduce the burden of outpatient visits for influenza.

Three Slide Decks Available to Support New Standards for Adult Immunization Practice

The Summit’s Access and Collaboration workgroup has developed three separate slide decks with talking notes to support partners and others who wish to present on the Standards to their peers and colleagues. The three audiences targeted by the decks are: healthcare providers; patients/public; and public health. These are now available, along with tips and tools on how to use them, at the Summit website.

Also, do not forget that Medscape has produced two modules to support the implementation of the Standards:

Providing a strong recommendation (with video vignettes)
Assessing the patient for adult vaccines

Every Child By Two (ECBT) Compiles Media Information on Its Website

On a daily basis, ECBT assembles significant news media coverage on immunizations in their “Daily Clips.” Summit partners may find this effort useful.

Summit Website Offers Wonderful Resources on Influenza Vaccination

Remember to visit the Summit website for the latest on influenza immunization resources. You also can find archived copies of The Summit Buzz there.

Summit Announcements

Upcoming Events

Other Announcements

Information from CDC

Other News