USA Today turned to two family physicians for a March 8 story on vaccinations targeting adolescents. New vaccines may be coming into the market, and according to FPs Rebecca Jaffe, M.D., of Wilmington, Del., and Jonathan Temte, M.D., of Madison, Wis., a parade of new vaccines for adolescents means more opportunities for kids to check in with their physicians.
“The grim reality is that we tend to see kids less and less as they enter adolescence, except for urgent care, sports physicals and camp physicals,” said Temte.
Vaccinations Provide Face Time with Adolescents, FPs Say in USA Today
By News Staff
3/18/2005
This story first appeared in the March 18, 2005, AAFP Direct.
Jaffe pointed out that an office visit to administer a vaccine is a welcome opportunity for physicians to broach other timely subjects with young teens. “It’s a time to talk about smoking and sex, to give guidance and let them know the door is open and they can come in and talk,” said Jaffe.
Vaccines on the way include meningococcal polysaccharide diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine (marketed as MenactraTM), which will provide long-term immunity against meningococcal meningitis. The federal government recently recommended that the vaccine, available later this month, be given routinely to 11- and 12-year-old students, as well as to students entering high school and college freshmen living in dorms.
Other products aimed at preventing diseases in adolescents that are under consideration or in development: two new boosters for diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis (U.S. cases of whooping cough nearly doubled between 2002 and 2004) and two vaccines that could be licensed next year for human papillomavirus.
Vaccines on the way include meningococcal polysaccharide diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine (marketed as MenactraTM), which will provide long-term immunity against meningococcal meningitis. The federal government recently recommended that the vaccine, available later this month, be given routinely to 11- and 12-year-old students, as well as to students entering high school and college freshmen living in dorms.
Other products aimed at preventing diseases in adolescents that are under consideration or in development: two new boosters for diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis (U.S. cases of whooping cough nearly doubled between 2002 and 2004) and two vaccines that could be licensed next year for human papillomavirus.
