IAC enters cooperative agreement with NCIRD

The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC), one of the nation's premier sources of immunization information, and the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are entering into a cooperative agreement that will distribute IAC's highly regarded publications to pediatricians, family physicians, and other healthcare professionals involved in providing immunization services. The award is for $1.4 million over five years.

This cooperative agreement will support three key current IAC functions: (1) creation and distribution of weekly editions of IAC Express to IAC's email subscribers; (2) publication of the feature "Ask the Experts," in which CDC and IAC immunization experts answer questions from vaccine providers; and (3) creation of new immunization education materials designed to respond to the needs of immunization providers, parents, and patients. Importantly, the new agreement also makes IAC the nation's central clearinghouse for Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) in languages other than English.

VISs are the foundation of patient/parent-centered vaccination delivery. Mandated by the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, these information sheets help ensure that families receive essential information about each vaccine including, for example, the vaccine's benefits and potential side effects. Proper distribution of the VISs will inform vaccine recipients, or their parents or legal representatives, about the vaccine prior to receiving a dose. Providing this important information in a wide array of languages upholds IAC's and CDC/NCIRD's shared dedication to giving all Americans access to the vaccination information they need.

"This partnership between CDC and IAC will significantly improve the immunization information available to those patients and parents who are best communicated with in languages other than English," said IAC's Executive Director, Deborah Wexler, MD.