A look into forcing new vaccines on adolescents

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http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/27/health/27vaccine.html?oref=login & th

(snip:) " Besides deciding whether to pay for Menactra, the committee also has

to figure out how to have children take the vaccine.

" We don't have a good track record immunizing adolescents, " said Dr. Lance

Rodewald, director of the immunization services division of the National

Immunization Program at the disease centers.

Solving this riddle is crucial, because Menactra is generally expected to be the

first of a series of new vaccines intended for 11-year-olds. The others include

booster vaccines against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough and vaccines

against cervical cancer and herpes.

Frightening parents about the consequences of failing to vaccinate their

children will most likely be part of the campaign. For that task, meningococcal

meningitis is ideal. "

Meryl Nass, MD

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