From Our Partners
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
News on Pathogens and Preparedness
Global Biodefense
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
Global Biodefense
No Result
View All Result
Home Medical Countermeasures

Outbreak at Princeton Calls for “Compassionate Use” of Unlicensed Vaccine

by Global Biodefense Staff
December 27, 2013

Neisseria meningitidesIn the wake of Princeton University’s meningitis outbreak, healthy individuals on campus who are at risk for infection will be offered voluntary immunization with Bexsero (Novartis), a vaccine that has not been approved for use in the United States. Since March 22, 2013, health officials have confirmed eight cases of Neisseria meningitides serogroup B (MenB) meningitis among students and visitors at Princeton University.

Bexsero is the only vaccine in production that protects against MenB. While the media have expressed concern about using an “experimental” vaccine on students, the authors of an article being published in Annals of Internal Medicine say “compassionate use” of the unlicenced vaccine is justified because epidemiologic evidence suggests that all Princeton University meningitis cases are related and that transmission is ongoing. They argue that the vaccine is not experimental, as it has been approved for use in Europe and Australia.

A plea for broader access to the vaccine has been made by advocacy groups, but the vaccine is being limited to Princeton University students based upon policy and epidemiology. While more than a third of total cases in the U.S. are due to MenB, a monovalent MenB vaccine would need to be administered along with the current quadrivalent conjugate meningococcal vaccine to optimize protection against all of the serogroups that cause the majority of disease in the U.S.

The authors suggest that a vaccine that prevents MenB still should be available in the U.S. They write, “our ability to mobilize resources in response to this situation should compel us to take measures to ensure access to this prevention tool with proven safety and efficacy to all who are at risk.”

Read the paper at the ACP Annals of Internal Medicine: “Compassionate Use” for Public Health.

Source: American College of Physicians 

From Our Partners
Tags: Vaccines

Related Posts

Poliovirus Detected in London Sewage: Response Measures Emphasize Wastewater Surveillance and Vaccination Gaps
Outbreak News

Poliovirus Detected in London Sewage: Response Measures Emphasize Wastewater Surveillance and Vaccination Gaps

June 22, 2022
UK Health Security Agency Widens Monkeypox Vaccine Umbrella for Outbreak Control
Medical Countermeasures

UK Health Security Agency Widens Monkeypox Vaccine Umbrella for Outbreak Control

June 21, 2022
Biodefense Industry News
Industry News

Tonix Pharmaceuticals Opens Advanced Development Center for Vaccine Programs

June 20, 2022
Chronic Wasting Disease: The Fatal Prion Infection Killing Elk and Deer in North America
Infectious Diseases

Chronic Wasting Disease: The Fatal Prion Infection Killing Elk and Deer in North America

June 10, 2022
Load More

Latest News

Poliovirus Detected in London Sewage: Response Measures Emphasize Wastewater Surveillance and Vaccination Gaps

Poliovirus Detected in London Sewage: Response Measures Emphasize Wastewater Surveillance and Vaccination Gaps

June 22, 2022
Monkeypox Diagnostics: CDC Authorizes Five Commercial Lab Companies

Monkeypox Diagnostics: CDC Authorizes Five Commercial Lab Companies

June 22, 2022
UK Health Security Agency Widens Monkeypox Vaccine Umbrella for Outbreak Control

UK Health Security Agency Widens Monkeypox Vaccine Umbrella for Outbreak Control

June 21, 2022
Influenza Research

New Way to Identify Influenza A Virus Lights Up When Specific Virus Targets are Present

June 20, 2022

Subscribe

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC