Distributed by e-mail June 25, 2013
Information is provided on the following topics:
- Temporary suspension of HPV vaccine recommendation in Japan
- 7th Edition of the Canadian Tuberculosis Standards
- Nosodes
- New Rethink Your Drinking Website and Campaign Launched
1. Temporary suspension of HPV vaccine recommendation in Japan
On June 15, 2013, the Japanese health ministry issued a nationwide notice that HPV vaccines be temporarily not recommended in females pending investigation of 42 reports of serious chronic pain. This action is precautionary and HPV vaccines are still available in Japan for individuals who wish to receive them. A review by Health Canada did not identify any safety concerns based on the 4 million doses of HPV vaccine distributed in Canada. Similarly, a review by the World Health Organization did not note any safety concerns. http://www.who.int/vaccine_safety/committee/topics/hpv/130619HPV_VaccineGACVSstatement.pdf
This review includes safety data from the US where approximately 50 million doses have been distributed.
In addition, the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine continues to be demonstrated. In a recently published US study among females aged 14 to 19 years, the vaccine-type HPV prevalence from cervicovaginal swabs decreased from 11.5% in 2003-2006 (the years before vaccine use) to 5.1% in 2007-2010 (the years after the introduction of the vaccine), a decline of 56%. The vaccine effectiveness of at least one dose of vaccine was 82%. http://jid.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/06/18/infdis.jit192.abstract
2) 7th Edition of the Canadian Tuberculosis Standards
The newest edition of the Canadian Tuberculosis Standards has just been posted on line:
http://www.respiratoryguidelines.ca/tb-standards-2013 . This 7th Edition of this book provides up to date Canadian information on the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of latent and active tuberculosis.
3) Nosodes
The following article provides information on homeopathic substances called nosodes which are described as “ultradilute (typically diluted far beyond the point where anything is left except solvent) preparations of infectious agents or infected tissue, and are administered as an “oral vaccine.””
http://www.bcmj.org/council-health-promotion/health-canada-licenses-homeopathic-vaccines
Although nosodes are approved by Health Canada, they are not vaccines and there are concerns about their effectiveness, as expressed in the above article.
4) New Rethink Your Drinking Website and Campaign Launched
The Southwest Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines Working Group is pleased to announce the launch of their new website www.rethinkyourdrinking.ca to help promote the national low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines and related alcohol information.
Rethink Your Drinking is an awareness campaign promoted by the nine health units in Southwestern Ontario to help change the way we think about and use alcohol.
The website includes sections on:
- Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines
- Standard Drinks
- Health Risks of Alcohol
- Reducing Alcohol Risks
- Women and Alcohol
- Resources
- Getting Help
- How to Contact the nine Southwest health units
The campaign includes posters, give away beverage wrenches, and a pull-up display that guide viewers to the website for more information. The “resources” section of the website includes five posters that will be released over the next 12 months reviewing various alcohol concerns like the size of a drink, timing of drinks, women, injury, and chronic disease.
For more information, go to www.rethinkyourdrinking.ca