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AAP, AAFP, CDC urge PCPs to recommend, deliver second dose of MCV4
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A group of medical organizations has issued a joint call-to-action stressing the importance of health care professionals recommending and administering the second dose of meningococcal ACWY vaccine at age 16 years, according to a press release.
The organizations include the CDC, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College Health Association, Immunization Action Coalition and Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine.
Anne Schuchat
"A clinician's endorsement of immunization has long been recognized as a key factor in improving immunization rates," Anne Schuchat, MD, principal deputy director of CDC, said in a press release.
According to the CDC, more 79% of children aged 11 or 12 years have received an initial dose of the meningococcal vaccine (MCV4). Currently only 28.5% of 17-year-olds have received a second MCV4 dose.
Teens and young adults aged 16 to 21 are at higher risk for meningococcal meningitis because of common activities such as kissing and sharing of utensils and water bottles. Protection from the initial MCV4 dose, given at age 11 or 12, begins to wane within 5 years.
Health care providers should be strongly recommend the booster MCV4 vaccine dose at all patient encounters, according to the letter. The Immunization Action Coalition has developed ideas, tools and educational materials that could be useful in improving rates of MCV4 vaccination. All materials can be found at www.Give2MCV4.org.
"[The Immunization Action Coalition] believes that we need to help encourage health care professionals to learn about their second dose MCV4 coverage rates and to provide them with helpful tools to increase rates," Deborah Wexler, MD, executive director of Immunization Action Coalition, said in a press release. "Unfortunately, many parents are not aware that they are not fully protecting their teens — they simply do not know that a second (booster) dose of MCV4 is recommended, and they often rely on their provider to track their teen's immunization schedule."