Vaccines & Immunization: Useful Websites
 CDC's
National Immunization Program (NIP) site. This U.S. government
site has the most current immunization recommendations and schedules
available to download in PDF format (you'll need Adobe Acrobat
Reader).
The CDC site also has a nice
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). A sampling of the Q&A section:
What does it mean when the doctor tells me it's a "live
vaccine"? What vaccines should college students have before
going to school? I just found out I'm pregnant, and I got MMR
last week - what do I do?
National Network for Immunization Information. This nonprofit site organized by health
and research professionals has a state-by-state, up-to-date database
of daycare and school entry immunization requirements. Notable:
photos of patients suffering from diseases that are no longer
common in the U.S. (The smallpox photo is downright terrifying.)
CDC-recommended immunization schedule available in PDF format
(Adobe Acrobat Reader required).
Vaccine
information statements in many languages are available from the Immunization Action Coalition.
Vaccines: An Issue of Trust, from Consumer
Reports Online. An excellent
two-part series, highly recommended for parents who are considering
skipping one or more of the recommended vaccines for their children.
Issues in Immunization and Vaccination. This pro-immunization site critiques
some anti-vaccine websites and details factual errors on them.
Children's Health: Infectious Diseases
and Immunization. From
the Medem Library, a site for consumers/patients by a group of
medical societies, including the AMA and the American Academy
of Pediatrics. Unfortunately Medem was still pretty rough around
the edges when we checked it out.
Mothering
magazine. Click on Resources,
then on the letter V, to get to a listing of vaccination-related
resources. This is one of the more responsible sites questioning
the safety of vaccines - the emphasis is on "informed consent."
Resources are taken from "Natural Family Living," a
2001 book by Mothering publisher Peggy O'Mara, and include books,
articles, websites, and organizations.
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CDC National Immunization
Hotlines
English: (800)
232-2522
Spanish: (800)
232-0233
TTY: (800) 243-7889
Live health specialists
available by phone Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST.
(5 a.m. to 8 p.m. PST)
TTY available
Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
PST)
Information on
vaccine schedules, side effects, contraindications, recommendations,
free publications, referrals to resources including clinics,
coalitions, drug companies.
Since the CDC
establishes the U.S. guidelines for immunization, its information
is up to date.
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