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8th Ed. of Australian Immunisation Handbook released |
The Australian Immunisation Handbook 8th Edition 2003 was approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in September.
Obtaining the new handbook
A PDF version of the 8th Edition Handbook is now available on the Immunise Australia website: http://immunise.health.gov.au
Printed versions will be distributed by December to all immunisation providers listed on the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) and Medicare databases.
Each printed version will be distributed with an interactive CD-ROM version. This interactive version will be available on the website this month.
If you have not received a copy by the end of the year and you would like one, visit http://immunise.health.gov.au, email handbook@health.gov.au, or contact the Immunisation Infoline on 1800 671 811.
The Australian Standard Vaccination Schedule (ASVS) differs from the National Immunisation Program (NIP). The ASVS lists all technical recommendations for vaccination made on the bases of disease burden, vaccine effectiveness in preventing disease and cost-effectiveness of the vaccine in a population setting, whereas the NIP lists all vaccines provided free to the Australian population.
What’s new in the handbook?
The revised ASVS contained in the 8th Edition includes several new childhood vaccine recommendations:
- Inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine (IPV) in combintion vaccines;
- pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for all children;
- varicella vaccine; and
- diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (dTpa) vaccine for adolescents.
The revised ASVS also no longer recommends the 18 mth dose of diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTPa) vaccine. This is effective immediately.
The handbook itself contains new information on vaccines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, international travel, occupational hazard and special risk groups.
Information on vaccine preventable diseases has been updated, as has information on adverse events following immunisation and what to do about them.
What’s new for the NIP?
The 18 mth dose of DTPa has been removed from the NIP. This is in line with NHMRC recommendation and is effective immediately. As a result, children do not need to visit an immunisation provider for DTPa vaccination at 18 mths. The booster dose of DTPa at 4 yrs is still recommended.
Combined diphtheria and tetanus vaccine (dT) for adolescents aged 15-19 yrs will be replaced by an adult/adolescent formulation diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (dTpa) vaccine dose at 15-17 yrs from 1 January 2004.
The national childhood pneumococcal vaccination program will also be expanded to provide free vaccine to additional children with conditions that predispose them to pneumococcal disease. These medical risk groups are listed in the Handbook and on the website at http://immunise.health.gov.au/pneumococcal/index.htm
On 1 July 2003, the General Practice Immunisation Incentives (GPII) Scheme was aligned with the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR). The GPII Scheme will use the NIP to assess immunisation status, which means that the 4th dose of DTPa at 18 mths will not be required for a child to be considered fully immunised. GPII outcomes payments should not be affected.
SIP payments will be made for each completed schedule of the NIP, due at 2 months, 4 months, 6 mths, 12 mths and 4 yrs.
Immunisation providers are strongly encouraged to submit data to the ACIR on all vaccines administered to children, whether they are part of the NIP or not, in order to maintain a complete immunisation history for the child on the register. The ACIR will record vaccines listed on the ASVS, that are not funded under the NIP, as non-standard vaccines.
Further information
Providers should contact their local public health unit for further information on the National Immunisation Program.
Diana Terry is the principal advisor for immunisation with the Australian Divisions of General Practice.
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