News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – A recent set of articles in Vaccine has confirmed previous preliminary reports that young children who received influenza shots in the 2010-11 flu season had a slightly increased risk of a febrile seizure after vaccination, especially if they received a new pneumococcal vaccine at the same time.

(CIDRAP News) – Starting next fall, how will the healthcare system get influenza vaccine into the arms (or noses) of tens of millions of additional children each year, given that the vaccination season is limited and many children don't have regular medical checkups?

(CIDRAP News) – Almost 5 years ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the US Public Health Service joined in calling for removal of the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal from vaccines. By 2001, all the vaccines recommended for children under age 7 were available without thimerosal or with only trace amounts.

(CIDRAP News) – It's official: federal health authorities say that from now on, all children between the ages of 6 months and 23 months should receive an annual influenza shot.