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<pubDate>Sun, 26 May 2013 05:46:37 GMT</pubDate>
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			<category>Articles</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/art/7/</link>
			<title>Opinion:  Innoculated Against the Facts</title>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;Opinion: Inoculated Against Facts &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;By Paul A. Offit&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;New York Times&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;March 31, 2008&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;br&gt;
&lt;a title=&quot;http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/opinion/31offit.html?_r=1&amp;amp;oref=slogin&quot; href=&quot;http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/opinion/31offit.html?_r=1&amp;amp;oref=slogin&quot;&gt;&lt;font title=&quot;http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/opinion/31offit.html?_r=1&amp;amp;oref=slogin&quot; face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span title=&quot;http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/opinion/31offit.html?_r=1&amp;amp;oref=slogin&quot; &gt;http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/opinion/31offit.html?_r=1&amp;amp;oref=slogin&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;ON March 6, Terry and Jon Poling stood outside a federal courthouse in &lt;st1:place w:st=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;st1:City w:st=&quot;on&quot;&gt;Atlanta&lt;/st1:City&gt;, &lt;st1:State w:st=&quot;on&quot;&gt;Ga.&lt;/st1:State&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;, with their 9-year-old daughter Hannah and announced that the federal government had admitted that vaccines had contributed to her autism. The news was shocking. Health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and at the &lt;st1:place w:st=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;st1:PlaceName w:st=&quot;on&quot;&gt;American&lt;/st1:PlaceName&gt; &lt;st1:PlaceType w:st=&quot;on&quot;&gt;Academy&lt;/st1:PlaceType&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; of Pediatrics have steadfastly assured the public that vaccines do not cause autism. Now, in a special vaccine claims court, the federal government appeared to have said exactly the opposite. What happened?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;The answer is wrapped up in the nature of the unusual court where the Poling case was heard. In 1986, after a flood of lawsuits against vaccine makers threatened the manufacture of vaccines for children, Congress created the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, financed by a tax on every dose of vaccine. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;As part of the program, a group of scientists, doctors and lawyers listed all the health problems that might be linked to vaccines. The oral polio vaccine could in rare cases cause paralysis, for example, and an early version of the rotavirus vaccine might cause intestinal blockage. (In the interest of full disclosure: I am a co-inventor and co-patent holder of a newer rotavirus vaccine.) &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;If, at a trial in a special court, a preponderance of scientific evidence suggested that a vaccine caused one of these problems, a family would be compensated quickly, generously and fairly. Because no one could sue vaccine makers without going through this special court, the number of lawsuits against vaccine makers fell drastically.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;The system worked fine until a few years ago, when vaccine court judges turned their back on science by dropping preponderance of evidence as a standard. Now, petitioners need merely propose a biologically plausible mechanism by which a vaccine might cause harm&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt; &lt;font face=&quot;Tahoma&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt; even if their explanation contradicts published studies. In 2006, for example, Dorothy Werderitsh claimed in the vaccine court that a hepatitis B vaccine had triggered an autoimmune response in her brain that led to multiple sclerosis. Two large studies had clearly shown that hepatitis B vaccine could neither cause nor exacerbate multiple sclerosis, but the court ruled in favor of Ms. Werderitsh, elevating a hypothesis above epidemiological evidence. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;The Hannah Poling case is similar. In 2000, when Hannah was 19 months old, she received five shots against nine infectious diseases. Over the next several months, she developed symptoms of autism. Subsequent tests showed that Hannah has a mitochondrial disorder&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt; &lt;font face=&quot;Tahoma&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt; her cells are unable to adequately process nutrients&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt; &lt;font face=&quot;Tahoma&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt; and this contributed to her autism. An expert who testified in court on the Polings' behalf claimed that the five vaccines had stressed Hannah's already weakened cells, worsening her disorder. Without holding a hearing on the matter, the court conceded that the claim was biologically plausible.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;On its face, the expert's opinion makes no sense. Even five vaccines at once would not place an unusually high burden on a child's immune system. The &lt;st1:place w:st=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;st1:PlaceType w:st=&quot;on&quot;&gt;Institute&lt;/st1:PlaceType&gt; of &lt;st1:PlaceName w:st=&quot;on&quot;&gt;Medicine&lt;/st1:PlaceName&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; has found that multiple vaccines do not overwhelm or weaken the immune system. And although natural infections can worsen symptoms of chronic neurological illnesses in children, vaccines are not known to. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;&quot;There is no evidence that children with mitochondrial enzyme deficiencies are worsened by vaccines,&quot; Salvatore DiMauro, a professor of neurology at &lt;st1:City w:st=&quot;on&quot;&gt;&lt;st1:place w:st=&quot;on&quot;&gt;Columbia&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:City&gt; who is the nation's leading expert on the disorder, told me. Indeed, children like Hannah Poling who are especially susceptible to infections are most likely to benefit from vaccines. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;Supporters of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program argue reasonably that the program should err on the side of overcompensation&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt; &lt;font face=&quot;Tahoma&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt; a relief valve that is needed in a society that mandates vaccines. But there is a price for this largesse. In the past few years, parents of 4,800 autistic children have filed claims to the vaccine court which have yet to be heard. And average awards in other recent vaccine cases have been more than $800,000. Furthermore, because uncompensated claims in vaccine court can spill into state courts, the Poling decision will likely draw more personal-injury lawyers to the fray. &quot;It's a beginning,&quot; said Kevin Conway, a Boston-based lawyer who represents more than 1,200 families with vaccine injury claims.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;The vaccine court should return to the preponderance-of-evidence standard. But much damage has already been done by the Poling decision. Parents may now worry about vaccinating their children, more autism research money may be steered toward vaccines and away from more promising leads and, if similar awards are made in state courts, pharmaceutical companies may abandon vaccines for American children. In the name of trying to help children with autism, the Poling decision has only hurt them.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;font face=&quot;Arial&quot; size=&quot;2&quot;&gt;&lt;span &gt;Paul A. Offit, chief of the infectious diseases division of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, is the author of &quot;Vaccinated: One Man's Quest to Defeat the World's Deadliest Diseases.&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/em&gt; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;2-Apr-08 12:00 PM
</description>
			<itunes:subtitle>Opinion:  Innoculated Against the Facts</itunes:subtitle>
			<itunes:summary>Opinion: Inoculated Against Facts  
By Paul A. Offit  
New York Times  
March 31, 2008  
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/opinion/31offit.html?_r=1&amp;oref=slogin  
ON March 6, Terry and Jon Poling stood outside a federal courthouse in Atlanta, Ga., with their 9-year-old daughter Hannah and announced that the federal government had admitted that vaccines had contributed to her autism. The news was shocking. Health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and at the American Academy of Pediatrics have steadfastly assured the public that vaccines do not cause autism. Now, in a special vaccine claims court, the federal government appeared to have said exactly the opposite. What happened? 
The answer is wrapped up in the nature of the unusual court where the Poling case was heard. In 1986, after a flood of lawsuits against vaccine makers threatened the manufacture of vaccines for children, Congress created the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, financed by a tax on every dose of vaccine.  
As part of the program, a group of scientists, doctors and lawyers listed all the health problems that might be linked to vaccines. The oral polio vaccine could in rare cases cause paralysis, for example, and an early version of the rotavirus vaccine might cause intestinal blockage. (In the interest of full disclosure: I am a co-inventor and co-patent holder of a newer rotavirus vaccine.)  
If, at a trial in a special court, a preponderance of scientific evidence suggested that a vaccine caused one of these problems, a family would be compensated quickly, generously and fairly. Because no one could sue vaccine makers without going through this special court, the number of lawsuits against vaccine makers fell drastically. 
The system worked fine until a few years ago, when vaccine court judges turned their back on science by dropping preponderance of evidence as a standard. Now, petitioners need merely propose a biologically plausible mechanism by which a vaccine might cause harm - even if their explanation contradicts published studies. In 2006, for example, Dorothy Werderitsh claimed in the vaccine court that a hepatitis B vaccine had triggered an autoimmune response in her brain that led to multiple sclerosis. Two large studies had clearly shown that hepatitis B vaccine could neither cause nor exacerbate multiple sclerosis, but the court ruled in favor of Ms. Werderitsh, elevating a hypothesis above epidemiological evidence.  
The Hannah Poling case is similar. In 2000, when Hannah was 19 months old, she received five shots against nine infectious diseases. Over the next several months, she developed symptoms of autism. Subsequent tests showed that Hannah has a mitochondrial disorder - her cells are unable to adequately process nutrients - and this contributed to her autism. An expert who testified in court on the Polings' behalf claimed that the five vaccines had stressed Hannah's already weakened cells, worsening her disorder. Without holding a hearing on the matter, the court conceded that the claim was biologically plausible. 
On its face, the expert's opinion makes no sense. Even five vaccines at once would not place an unusually high burden on a child's immune system. The Institute of Medicine has found that multiple vaccines do not overwhelm or weaken the immune system. And although natural infections can worsen symptoms of chronic neurological illnesses in children, vaccines are not known to.  
&quot;There is no evidence that children with mitochondrial enzyme deficiencies are worsened by vaccines,&quot; Salvatore DiMauro, a professor of neurology at Columbia who is the nation's leading expert on the disorder, told me. Indeed, children like Hannah Poling who are especially susceptible to infections are most likely to benefit from vaccines.  
Supporters of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program argue reasonably that the program should err on the side of overcompensation - a relief valve that is needed in a society that mandates vaccines. But there is a price for this largesse. In the past few years, parents of 4,800 autistic children have filed claims to the vaccine court which have yet to be heard. And average awards in other recent vaccine cases have been more than $800,000. Furthermore, because uncompensated claims in vaccine court can spill into state courts, the Poling decision will likely draw more personal-injury lawyers to the fray. &quot;It's a beginning,&quot; said Kevin Conway, a Boston-based lawyer who represents more than 1,200 families with vaccine injury claims. 
The vaccine court should return to the preponderance-of-evidence standard. But much damage has already been done by the Poling decision. Parents may now worry about vaccinating their children, more autism research money may be steered toward vaccines and away from more promising leads and, if similar awards are made in state courts, pharmaceutical companies may abandon vaccines for American children. In the name of trying to help children with autism, the Poling decision has only hurt them. 
Paul A. Offit, chief of the infectious diseases division of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, is the author of &quot;Vaccinated: One Man's Quest to Defeat the World's Deadliest Diseases.&quot;  
</itunes:summary>
<itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/art/7/</guid>
			<author>Paul Offit - noemail@immunizeusa.org</author>
			<pubDate>Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>
			<category>Release</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/26/</link>
			<title>Stylish Boutique Takes Stand Against Meningitis With Local Non-Profit</title>
			<description>  	  		Updating your wardrobe during the summer is something that many people consider a must. One local boutique wants to help the community stay stylish and safe this summer. Rouge Boutique has collaborated with The Immunization Partnership, for a day of shopping and saving lives. The event gives back to the community by offering free immunizations, especially the meningitis vaccine which is required for incoming college freshman in Texas. Those involved hope to ensure a healthy upcoming school year, and to honor some of the lives already lost. 	  		  	  		Houston, TX May 15th, 2012 - Over the summer, parents do so much to prepare their kids for the next school year. After vacations, family barbecues, and road trips are complete; parents find themselves scrambling to knock out their back-to-school checklists. Shopping for school supplies and new school clothes become priority. For parents with children transitioning from high school to college, other items like dorm room gear and...
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/26/</guid>
			<author>noemail@immunizeusa.org</author>
			<pubDate>Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
</item>

		<item>
			<category>Release</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/24/</link>
			<title>An Ounce of Prevention is Worth Millions in Savings</title>
			<description>  	  		The Texas Legislature is confronted with an unprecedented budget shortfall, possibly as much as $20 billion, according to some estimates. In preparation for the Legislature's return in January 2011, all state agencies were asked to trim their budgets by ten percent. As agencies release their budget cuts this fall, the magnitude of the shortfall will become apparent. The impact on Texas will be huge, and the cost to public health will be staggering.  In order to comply with the mandated cuts, the Department of State Health Services has been forced to cut vaccinations for more than 100,000 disadvantaged children per year.  	  		  	  		Eliminating immunizations for tens of thousands of children is a public health disaster waiting to happen. Vaccinations are an invisible investment that prevents debilitating diseases from ever happening. Texans who benefit from immunizations often never know how bad things could have been without those immunizations. There is a greater risk of...
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/24/</guid>
			<author>noemail@immunizeusa.org</author>
			<pubDate>Wed, 27 Oct 2010 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
</item>

		<item>
			<category>Release</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/22/</link>
			<title>Texas Immunization Summit 2010 to Identify Successes, Concerns and Policy Needs</title>
			<description>  	 		Texas Immunization Summit 2010 to Identify Successes, Concerns and Policy Needs  	 		- September 30 - October 1, 2010, Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel and Spa 	 		  	  		HOUSTON (September 27, 2010)- The Immunization Partnership (TIP) will host The Texas Immunization Summit 2010, sponsored by St. David's Foundation. The Summit represents the culminating event of 10 statewide Stakeholder Meetings, attended by hundreds of concerned citizens across Texas. The organization will be releasing a report, called An Ounce of Prevention: Texans Speak Up for Immunizations, summarizing the results of the Stakeholder Meetings, and detailing the participants' recommendations for policy makers. The Summit is expected to draw over 250 participants from across the state and will feature world-renowned experts in immunizations.  	  		  	  		The tremendous interest in the Summit demonstrates the incredible dedication of our public health officials, immunization providers and legislators to keeping Texans...
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/22/</guid>
			<author>noemail@immunizeusa.org</author>
			<pubDate>Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
</item>

		<item>
			<category>Release</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/23/</link>
			<title>Don't Re-gift the Gift that Keeps on Giving</title>
			<description>  	  		This is the time of year that we're most sociable, as we attend and host holiday gatherings. We will come into contact with others at holiday parties, special events, and venues to watch our favorite college and professional teams. As we enter the winter flu season, physicians are urging people to get the influenza vaccination to protect against the three types of flu (Influenza A-H3N2, Influenza B, and H1N1). You are not only protecting yourself, but everyone around you. The one gift that you do not want to give is the flu. 	  		  	  		Flu activity in Texas is considered sporadic, but on the rise in neighboring Louisiana. There has been a sharp increase in southeastern states, particularly in GA, SC, NC, TN, and AL.  	  		During week 46 of a Center for Disease Control (CDC) study this year; fifty-one (6.4 percent) specimens tested by laboratories in Texas were positive for influenza, as reported by the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS).   	 ...
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/23/</guid>
			<author>noemail@immunizeusa.org</author>
			<pubDate>Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
</item>

		<item>
			<category>Release</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/25/</link>
			<title>Champions for Children Spring Luncheon</title>
			<description>&lt;div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		A lively crowd packed The Junior League of Houston for the 2010 Champions for Children Spring Luncheon benefiting The Immunization Partnership.&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		Chaired by Dr. Lindy McGee and John McKeever, the event featured a presentation by Dr. Paul Offit, chief of Division of Infectious Diseases at the Children&amp;rsquo;s Hospital of Philadelphia.&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		Dr. Offit, who also is the co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine RotaTeq and author of several books, outlined the history of the anti-vaccine movement and shared what the future holds for vaccines.&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		Anna Dragsbaek, CEO of The Immunization Partnership, and board members honored&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		Dr. Offit with the &lt;strong&gt;Ralph D. Feigin, M.D. Award for Excellence&lt;/strong&gt;for his dedication to championing education and advocacy for immunizations. In addition, The Houston Area Rotary Clubs received the &lt;strong&gt;Community Partnership Award&lt;/strong&gt; for their commitment to piloting special projects and supporting community-based initiatives that encourage and highlight the importance of vaccines.&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;
		&lt;strong&gt;&lt;u&gt;About The Immunization Partnership&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		The Immunization Partnershipis a non-profit organization that aims to eradicate vaccine preventable diseases by developing and coordinating our community&amp;rsquo;s resources through public and private partnerships. The primary focus areas are education, advocacy and public policy, and support of immunization information systems. For more information, visit &lt;a href=&quot;../../&quot;&gt;www.immunizeUSA.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;
		&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;
		###&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/25/</guid>
			<author>noemail@immunizeusa.org</author>
			<pubDate>Sun, 04 Apr 2010 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
</item>

		<item>
			<category>Release</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/20/</link>
			<title>Pertussis Forum Aims to Inform and Raise Awareness</title>
			<description>&lt;div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		According to medical professionals at a recent Pertussis Forum, cases of pertussis or whooping cough are on the rise. In fact, 2009 data shows that of the 693 cases in Houston, 24.4 percent have occurred in N.E. Houston. The Immunization Partnership hosted the forum with the goal of informing parents and the community on how to prevent the disease.&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		Pertussis is a highly communicable disease characterized by cough, followed by vomiting and whooping.&amp;nbsp; Caused by the Bordetella Pertussis bacteria found in the mouth, nose and throat of an infected person, it is named after the &amp;ldquo;whoop&amp;rdquo; sound that children often make when they try to breathe during a severe coughing spell. Pertussis is spread through close contact when an infected person talks, sneezes or coughs.&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		Other &lt;strong&gt;Pertussis Facts:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;ul&gt;
		&lt;li&gt;
			In 2009 there were 2,437 cases of pertussis in Texas,&lt;a href=&quot;../../images/2009Provisional_Pertussis.pdf&quot;&gt;the highest in the U.S.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
		&lt;li&gt;
			90% of unvaccinated children living with someone with pertussis will also get thedisease.&lt;/li&gt;
		&lt;li&gt;
			Pre-teens and teens get whooping cough more often than any other age group except for infants younger than one year (496 cases per 100,000 adolescents).&lt;/li&gt;
		&lt;li&gt;
			Whooping cough may cause pneumonia, bruised ribs, collapsed lungs, increased urination, seizures, infections of the brain and death in pre-teens and teens.&lt;/li&gt;
		&lt;li&gt;
			The CDC recommends that persons aged 11 &amp;ndash; 12 years receive the tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine, or Tdap. This FDA-approved vaccine helps prevent not only whooping cough, but also tetanus and diphtheria.&lt;/li&gt;
	&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/20/</guid>
			<author>noemail@immunizeusa.org</author>
			<pubDate>Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<category>Release</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/16/</link>
			<title>The Immunization Partnership Urges Parents to Have Children Vaccinated for Meningitis</title>
			<description>  	 		The Immunization Partnership Urges Parents to Have  	 		Children Vaccinated for Meningitis  	 		  	  		HOUSTON (January 6, 2010)-Effective January 1, 2010, a new law requires first time and transfer students enrolling in college and entering on-campus housing, to show proof of having the meningitis vaccine at least 10 days prior to residency. The law is named the Jamie Schanbaum Act, in honor of Jamie Schanbaum, who survived bacterial meningitis as a college sophomore at the University of Texas in Austin, in November 2008.    	  		  	  		      College students living in dormitories have an exceptionally high rate of meningitis. In fact, the rate of invasive disease among 17-20 year olds is approximately twice that of the overall U.S. population. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that college students living in dormitories get immunized against meningitis, and the law brings Texas into compliance with that recommendation.  	  		  	  		      Had my child...
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/16/</guid>
			<author>noemail@immunizeusa.org</author>
			<pubDate>Wed, 06 Jan 2010 17:45:00 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<category>Release</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/11/</link>
			<title>Houston Area Immunization Partnership Urges Parents of 7th Graders to Take Action and Have their Kids Immunized</title>
			<description>         HOUSTON (April 22, 2009) &#8211; Three new vaccines are essential for the 337,000 Texas students, including 73,923 Harris County students, entering seventh grade. The Texas Department of State Health Services is requiring that students receive the following vaccines before they enroll for the 2009-2010 school year:        One 	dose of Meningococcal vaccine (Meningitis)           One 	dose of Tdap vaccine - tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis 	(Whooping Cough)           A 	second dose of Varicella vaccine (Chicken Pox)      Dangerous diseases can be easily passed from one child to another, but many of them are easily preventable through immunization. It&#8217;s critical we have our children vaccinated to keep them healthy, said Anna C. Dragsbaek, J.D., executive director, Houston Area Immunization Partnership. We urge parents to act now, to avoid the back-to-school rush at doctors&#8217; offices and to avoid delays in starting 7th grade.    Over the last several years, we&#8217;ve heard a lot of...
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/11/</guid>
			<author>noemail@immunizeusa.org</author>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:15:00 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<category>Release</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/8/</link>
			<title>Houston Area Immunization Partnership Gelb Share Award</title>
			<description>Gelb Recognized as Top Corporate Citizen for Immunization Brand The Houston marketing community recognized the brand launch of the Houston Area Immunization Partnership at the 2008 American Marketing Association Crystal Awards. Gelb Consulting Group, one of our dedicated partners, received an award for Corporate Citizenship competing with a host of well-qualified entries.     The AMA Crystal Award is heavily weighted toward results, which Gelb helped us achieve. By working with Gelb, the Houston Area Immunization Partnership has clarified its mission, created an exciting visual identity, launched a new website, www.immunizehouston.org, and renewed partner enthusiasm.       In 2007, we sought to build consensus around a unifying idea, one that aligned our community partners and expanded our potential beyond the management of the Houston Harris County Immunization Registry. Gelb led our board through a process to create the Houston Area Immunization Partnership. It is certainly a well...
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/8/</guid>
			<author>noemail@immunizeusa.org</author>
			<pubDate>Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
</item>

		<item>
			<category>Release</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/6/</link>
			<title>Immunization Partnership Gains Executive Director</title>
			<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img  height=&quot;223&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; src=&quot;http://www.immunizehouston.org/attachments/wysiwyg/8/Dragsbaek.jpg&quot; width=&quot;166&quot; align=&quot;textTop&quot; border=&quot;10&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span &gt;In keeping with the new mission of the Houston Area Immunization Partnership, a new Executive Director has been hired who has the skills and vision to take the organization in its new direction. &amp;nbsp;Anna C. Dragsbaek, who has been serving as a part-time interim Director, will assume the Executive Director position on April 4.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span &gt;&lt;span &gt;Anna comes to us from Texas Children's Hospital, where she was the Manager of the Immunization Project since 2005. &amp;nbsp;There she was involved in collaborative community projects promoting immunization, as well as legislative advocacy work, immunization registry support, outreach to physician offices, and policy issues to support immunization of Houston's children. &amp;nbsp;Anna provided leadership and oversight for the Immunization Project, engaging in public health and policy research, health education, and implementation of the Houston-Harris County Immunization Registry. &amp;nbsp;Prior to becoming Manager, Anna was the Immunization Registry Coordinator. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span &gt;Anna&amp;nbsp;obtained a Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston Law Center in May, 2006 and was admitted to the Texas Bar in November, 2006. &amp;nbsp;She has studied International and Family Health at the University of Texas School of Public Health.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/rel/6/</guid>
			<author>noemail@immunizeusa.org</author>
			<pubDate>Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:15:00 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>

			<category>stories</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/story/view.asp?8</link>
			<title>Adult Vaccines &amp; Vaccines in Pregnancy</title>
			<description>&lt;div&gt;
	&lt;span style=&quot;font-size: 12px;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: georgia,serif;&quot;&gt;Join us on March 21st for a free informative public forum examining Adult Vaccines and Vaccines in Pregnancy.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/story/view.asp?8</guid>
			<pubDate>Tue, 12 Mar 2013 20:36:22 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>

			<category>stories</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/story/view.asp?7</link>
			<title>Spring Luncheon with Dr. David Oshinsky</title>
			<description>&lt;div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		&lt;span style=&quot;font-family: georgia,serif;&quot;&gt;Join us for a very special event with Dr. David Oshinsky who will serve as the Keynote Speaker and will receive the Ralph D. Feigin, M.D. Award.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/story/view.asp?7</guid>
			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:18:27 GMT</pubDate>
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			<category>stories</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/story/view.asp?6</link>
			<title>Legislative Day 2013</title>
			<description>&lt;div&gt;
	&lt;div&gt;
		TIP&amp;rsquo;s Legislative Day at the Capitol is an event that provides immunization stakeholders from across the state the opportunity to meet and educate their legislators.&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/story/view.asp?6</guid>
			<pubDate>Thu, 24 Jan 2013 20:42:03 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>

			<category>stories</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/story/view.asp?5</link>
			<title>DONATE NOW</title>
			<description>&lt;div&gt;
	&lt;div style=&quot;background-image: none !important; background-attachment: initial !important; background-origin: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-color: initial !important; font-size: 12px; &quot;&gt;
		&lt;div style=&quot;font-size: 12px; &quot;&gt;
			The Immunization Partnership (TIP) is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) and continued support of our projects and services are always needed.&amp;nbsp; Click below for more information about TIP and how to contribute.&lt;/div&gt;
	&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/story/view.asp?5</guid>
			<pubDate>Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:29:56 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>

			<category>stories</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/story/view.asp?2</link>
			<title>EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS</title>
			<description>&lt;div&gt;
	Wish to educate your clinic staff on immunization Best Practices?&amp;nbsp; The Immunization Champions project will help raise your clinics rates.&lt;/div&gt;
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/story/view.asp?2</guid>
			<pubDate>Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:27:34 GMT</pubDate>
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			<category>stories</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/story/view.asp?1</link>
			<title>SPEAK UP FOR IMMUNIZATIONS</title>
			<description>&lt;div&gt;
	There are many ways to voice your opinion and support of immunization topics and issues.&lt;/div&gt;
</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/story/view.asp?1</guid>
			<pubDate>Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:26:51 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<category>Content Managers</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/legislative-alert-center/</link>
			<title>Legislative Alert Center</title>
			<description>      Legislative Alert #6   May 22, 2013   Topic: Immunization Legislation Updates and Successes      This week marks the last week of the 83rd legislative session. But, we are not done yet! Below, please find an update on several pieces of immunization-related legislation, many of which are still active.   House Bill 772 (Rep. Donna Howard): Shifts the State&#39;s immunization registry, ImmTrac, from an opt-in to an opt-out system. This change will improve efficiency, enhance privacy, and reduce costs.    	 HB 772 passed the House with 99 votes and strong bipartisan support on May 2, 2013. It was referred to Health and Human Services Committee and requested for hearing, but was not set on the agenda. Although the hearing dates have passed and HB 772 did not make it out of the Senate, we are one step closer to a more efficient immunization registry. Thank you to the Texas Medical Association, Texas Pediatric Society and all of YOU who wrote letters, prepared testimony, and made phone...

</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/legislative-alert-center/</guid>
			<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 17:09:45 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<category>Content Managers</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/2013-legislative-alert-5/</link>
			<title>2013 Legislative Alert #5</title>
			<description>Legislative Alert #5   May 8, 2013     	 		 			 			 			 			  			 			 Topic: HB 772 Passed the Texas House!  			Urge the Senate to Support Changes to ImmTrac   			    			 Immediate Action Required:  			Ask Senate Health and Human Services Committee to  			HEAR and SUPPORT HB 772  			  			 			 			 			  			Thanks to the incredible efforts of immunization advocates like you, House Bill 772 passed the Texas House last week with 99 votes of support. Congratulations on this accomplishment! 			 			  			  			  			However, WE STILL NEED YOUR VOICE. The next step in the legislative process is to gain the Senate&#39;s support. To ensure that the bill is voted on by the Senate, we must urge the Senate Health and Human Services Committee to first hear and support this bill.   			The Legislative Session is drawing to a close, and this is our LAST CHANCE to move this bill forward and modernize ImmTrac by changing it from an opt-in to an opt-out system. Let&#39;s work together to make this happen!  ...

</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/2013-legislative-alert-5/</guid>
			<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 17:06:11 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<category>Content Managers</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/tip-legislative-priorities/</link>
			<title>83rd Legislative Session</title>
			<description>&lt;div&gt;
&lt;div&gt;&lt;span &gt;&lt;span &gt;&lt;strong&gt;TIP Legislative Priorities&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;The Immunization Partnership&amp;rsquo;s 2013 immunization policy priorities were developed based upon input gathered from ten stakeholder meetings conducted in cities across the state.&amp;nbsp; Our priorities include:&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;
&lt;div&gt;&amp;middot; Decreasing the incidence of bacterial meningitis&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;middot; Increasing the efficiency and reducing the cost of the state immunization registry, ImmTrac&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;middot; Protecting the health of teen parents and their children&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;middot; Improving immunization uptake among childcare providers&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;middot; Restoring funding for immunization and safety net programs&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Fact&amp;nbsp;Sheets for Priority Bills&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/attachments/wysiwyg/2622/SB 62 Fact Sheet_042313.pdf&quot;&gt;SB 62 (Senator Jane Nelson)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/attachments/wysiwyg/2622/SB 63 Fact Sheet_042313.pdf&quot;&gt;SB 63 (Senator Jane Nelson)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/attachments/wysiwyg/2622/SB 64 Fact Sheet_042413.pdf&quot;&gt;SB 64 (Senator Jane Nelson)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/attachments/wysiwyg/2622/HB 772 Fact Sheet_031913.pdf&quot;&gt;HB 772 (Rep. Donna Howard)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/attachments/wysiwyg/1293/HB 772 handout with signature.pdf&quot;&gt;HB 772 (Rep. Donna Howard) Cut the Red Tape&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;83rd Session Immunization-Related Legislation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div&gt;The Immunization Partnership has created the following list of immunization-related legislation currently under consideration. Early filing for bills began in November 2012 and all&amp;nbsp;bills must be proposed by legislators by March 2013.&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;/attachments/wysiwyg/1293/Immunization Related Legislation 2013 Session_2013_May20.pdf&quot;&gt;To track the progress of 83rd Legislative Session Immunization-Related Legislation, click here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;(Updated 5/20/2013).&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&lt;em&gt;For Questions or comments, please contact:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br&gt;
Nidhi M. Nakra, MPH&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;Director of Education and Advocacy&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;mailto:nnakra@immunizeUSA.org&quot;&gt;nnakra@immunizeUSA.org&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;512.219.4018&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;

&lt;div&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;


</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/tip-legislative-priorities/</guid>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 May 2013 14:56:57 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<category>Content Managers</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/2013-legislative-alert-4/</link>
			<title>2013 Legislative Alert #4</title>
			<description> 	 		 			 			April 29, 2013   			 		 	    	 		 			 			Topic: House Bill 772 Set for a Vote this Wednesday, May 1    			Immediate Action Required: Vote YES on HB 772   			Cut the red tape! Cut costs! Protect the health of Texans! House Bill 772 is being voted on this Wednesday, May 1, and we need you to take action! Please call and email your Texas State Representative today and ask him or her to vote YES on HB 772.   			WHY IS HOUSE BILL 772 IMPORTANT?   			HB 772 Modernizes the State Immunization Registry, ImmTrac.   			 				 This bill would allow immunization data to be stored in the registry unless an individual asks for the information to be removed. Most Texans - 95 percent - want their immunization records in ImmTrac. However, all of these Texans have to fill out consent forms to be included. HB 772 cuts the red tape! Only 5 percent of Texans who want to be excluded from ImmTrac would need to fill out paperwork. 			  			 HB 772 is Good for Families, Providers, DSHS, and Privacy....

</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/2013-legislative-alert-4/</guid>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 May 2013 15:30:39 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<category>Content Managers</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/2013-legislative-alert-3/</link>
			<title>2013 Legislative Alert #3</title>
			<description> 	 		 			 			April 23, 2013  			 		 	    	 		 			 			Topic: Senate Bills 62, 63, and 64   			Immediate Action Required: SUPPORT SB 62, SB 63, and SB 64   			With a little more than a month left in the session, we need your support on critical pieces of immunization legislation! Senate Bills 62, 63, and 64 are set to be heard by the House Public Health Committee tomorrow, Wednesday, April 24. These bills will decrease the incidence of bacterial meningitis, protect the health of teen parents and their children, and improve immunization uptake among childcare providers.  			  			Please call, email, or fax members of the House Public Health Committee TODAY and ask them to SUPPORT SB 62, SB 63, and SB 64. Talking points and links to fact sheets are provided below.  			  			Please click here to locate members of the Public Health Committee and their contact information. And, please be sure to mention if you are a constituent of a committee member!  			 		 	    	 		 			 			Senate Bill 62...

</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/2013-legislative-alert-3/</guid>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 May 2013 15:26:12 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<category>Content Managers</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/2013-legislative-alert-2/</link>
			<title>2013 Legislative Alert #2</title>
			<description> 	 		 			 			April 5, 2013   			Topic: Legislative Day Recap and Update on Immunization Legislation   			TIP Legislative Day: Recap   			Many thanks to the immunization stakeholders who joined us for TIP&#39;s Legislative Day last week. Together, our group of 25 stakeholders visited 80 legislative offices, participated in two legislative hearings, and made sure that Texas legislators know the importance of promoting evidence-based vaccine policies.   			We would like to extend a very special thank you to Representative Donna Howard and Representative John Zerwas for serving as our keynote speakers and for spearheading critical immunization legislation this session. What an incredible day! For more information on our legislative day, please visit our website. Thank you again!   			     			 		 	    	 		 			 			Immunization Legislation Updates   			The 83rd Legislative session is more than half way over. With just over 50 days left, there is a lot of work to be done and we need your...

</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/2013-legislative-alert-2/</guid>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 May 2013 15:23:33 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<category>Content Managers</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/2013-legislative-alert-1/</link>
			<title>2013 Legislative Alert #1</title>
			<description>       March 11, 2013        Topic: House Bill 772 and other pieces of immunization-related legislation      Immediate Action Required: SUPPORT House Bill 772      House Bill 772 is set to be heard by the House Public Health Committee on Wednesday, March 13. This bill changes the consent process for the statewide immunization registry, ImmTrac, from an opt-in to an opt-out model. Please call, email, or fax members of the House Public Health Committee and ask them to please SUPPORT House Bill 772. Please click on the below link to locate members of the Public Health Committee and their contact information. And, please be sure to mention if you are a constituent of a committee member!       Please Click here to access contact information for House Public Health Committee      Please Click here to find the name of your state Senator and Representative      Below, please find talking points that can be shared during conversations with committee members.      	 An opt-out system is...

</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/2013-legislative-alert-1/</guid>
			<pubDate>Wed, 08 May 2013 15:10:36 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<category>Content Managers</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/community-immunity/</link>
			<title>COMMUNITY IMMUNITY</title>
			<description> What is Community Immunity? Community Immunity is a 10 minute, hands on and fun-filled activity that demonstrates the importance of immunization by using colored dots to represents an individuals immunization status. TIP set out to find a creative way to demonstrate how quickly disease spreads in today's society, and therefore piloted the Community Immunity exercise with Rotary Clubs around Houston, focusing on the flu and pertussis vaccines.         Goal: The overarching goal is to educate community groups about the importance of getting immunized to protect individuals and communities from dangerous vaccine-preventable diseases.       Community Immunity in Action! A Community Immunity Toolkit has been developed for trained Immunization Ambassadors, to conduct the exercise and take the show on the road.    With the success of the pilot, Rotary was encouraged to develop a community campaign and now several Rotarians have been trained, having already presented to other Rotary clubs,...

</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/community-immunity/</guid>
			<pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2013 15:15:31 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>
		<item>
			<category>Content Managers</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/big-shot-society_1/</link>
			<title>Big Shot Society</title>
			<description>   Want to be a BIG SHOT?     We're looking for a whole lot of Big Shots to help us harness the power of vaccines to save Texans' lives.            Click Here To Join the Big Shot Society        Do you have what it takes to be a Big Shot?      1. Do you care about Texas and want to protect Texans from vaccine-preventable diseases?     2. Are you willing to make a gift, big or small, and learn something in the process?      See a list of our Current Big Shots!      To become a Big Shot, you won't have to give a shot or get one. Just make a gift of any size to TIP for unrestricted operating support. Of course, this is Texas, so we do appreciate BIG. Whether it is $250 or $10,000, your gift will provide vital support to TIP so it can tirelessly pursue vaccine education and advocacy.      If you want to put a little extra effort into your Big Shot status, join us for Big Shot educational events to learn about hot vaccination issues. We promise every event will be social, too, as we bring...

</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/big-shot-society_1/</guid>
			<pubDate>Fri, 03 May 2013 13:16:04 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<category>Content Managers</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/big-shots-society/</link>
			<title>Big Shot Society</title>
			<description>   The Immunization Partnership Big Shots  Learn More About the Big Shot Society          Inoculator   Francesca Beaumont and Brian Wozniak   Julie and Marc Boom   Gwen and Ed Emmett   Andy and Aileen McCormick   Lindy and Tom McGee   Phyllis and Graham Painter      Preventer   Steve Burrill &amp; Tara Nutik   D. Glenn Baird   Alanea and Eric Bethea   Steve and Michelle Bohreer   Vicki and John Brentin   Russell Frank   Robert Grenwelge, Jr   Amy and Gentry Lee   Suzanne McCarthy   April and Wells McGee   John McKeever   Marcia and Doug Newport   Jan and Ershel Redd   Kay Tittle   Stacey White   James and Sharon Yorek   Barry and Hallie Zietz      Booster   Cynthia Adkins   Elissa Atlas   Walker and Lisa Barnett   Walter Bruce   Katherine and Richard Byrd   John Collier   Jacquelyn and Collin Cox   Katy and John Daily   Luis Elizondo-Thomson   Andrea Feruzzo   Jefferson Frazier   Laura Giesler   Pearce and Patricia Hammond   Jon and Susan F. Harris   Chris and Erin Holsinger   Mary...

</description>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/big-shots-society/</guid>
			<pubDate>Thu, 02 May 2013 16:57:50 GMT</pubDate>
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		<item>
			<category>Survey</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/sur/?1</link>
			<title>Lorem ipsum survey</title>
			<description>Objectives: &lt;p&gt;Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diem nonummynibh euismod tincidunt ut lacreet dolore magna aliguam erat volutpat. Ut wisis enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tution ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis te feugifacilisi. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Duis autem dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit au gue duis dolore te feugat nulla facilisi. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci taion ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex en commodo consequat. Duis te feugifacilisi per suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex en commodo consequat.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diem nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut lacreet dolore magna aliguam erat volutpat. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Ut wisis enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Release Date: 30-Jan-08 9:51 AM&lt;br&gt;Expiration Date: 30-Apr-08 9:51 AM&lt;br&gt;&lt;p&gt;Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diem nonummynibh euismod tincidunt ut lacreet dolore magna aliguam erat volutpat. Ut wisis enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tution ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis te feugifacilisi. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Duis autem dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit au gue duis dolore te feugat nulla facilisi. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci taion ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex en commodo consequat. Duis te feugifacilisi per suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex en commodo consequat.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diem nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut lacreet dolore magna aliguam erat volutpat. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Ut wisis enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci</description>
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			<author>noemail@immunizeusa.org</author>
			<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:51:21 GMT</pubDate>
</item>

		<item>

			<category>photos</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/68/</link>
			<media:thumbnail url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/Shervin/photos/68/Healthcare_Heroes_2010-t.gif"/>
			 <media:content url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/Shervin/photos/68/Healthcare_Heroes_2010.gif"/>
			<title>Healthcare_Heroes_2010</title>
			<description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/Shervin/photos/68/Healthcare_Heroes_2010-m.gif&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by Shervin Kalinia. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</description>
			<media:description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/Shervin/photos/68/Healthcare_Heroes_2010-m.gif&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by Shervin Kalinia. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</media:description>
			<itunes:subtitle>Healthcare_Heroes_2010</itunes:subtitle>
			<itunes:summary>File uploaded by Shervin Kalinia.</itunes:summary>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/68/</guid>
			<pubDate>Sun, 26 May 2013 05:46:38 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>

			<category>photos</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/61/</link>
			<media:thumbnail url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/61/IMG_6150-t.jpg"/>
			 <media:content url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/61/IMG_6150.jpg"/>
			<title>Dr. Baker, Dr. Mouzoon, Frankie Milley, Anna C. Dragsbaek</title>
			<description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/61/IMG_6150-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</description>
			<media:description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/61/IMG_6150-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</media:description>
			<itunes:subtitle>Dr. Baker, Dr. Mouzoon, Frankie Milley, Anna C. Dragsbaek</itunes:subtitle>
			<itunes:summary>File uploaded by John McKeever.</itunes:summary>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/61/</guid>
			<pubDate>Sun, 26 May 2013 05:46:38 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>

			<category>photos</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/59/</link>
			<media:thumbnail url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/59/IMG_6147-t.jpg"/>
			 <media:content url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/59/IMG_6147.jpg"/>
			<title>Board Members: Mouzoon, McCormick</title>
			<description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/59/IMG_6147-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</description>
			<media:description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/59/IMG_6147-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</media:description>
			<itunes:subtitle>Board Members: Mouzoon, McCormick</itunes:subtitle>
			<itunes:summary>File uploaded by John McKeever.</itunes:summary>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/59/</guid>
			<pubDate>Sun, 26 May 2013 05:46:38 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>

			<category>photos</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/54/</link>
			<media:thumbnail url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/54/IMG_6142-t.jpg"/>
			 <media:content url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/54/IMG_6142.jpg"/>
			<title>Members of the HAIP Board of Directors</title>
			<description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/54/IMG_6142-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</description>
			<media:description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/54/IMG_6142-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</media:description>
			<itunes:subtitle>Members of the HAIP Board of Directors</itunes:subtitle>
			<itunes:summary>File uploaded by John McKeever.</itunes:summary>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/54/</guid>
			<pubDate>Sun, 26 May 2013 05:46:38 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>

			<category>photos</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/42/</link>
			<media:thumbnail url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/42/IMG_6130-t.jpg"/>
			 <media:content url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/42/IMG_6130.jpg"/>
			<title>Frankie Milley, Honoree, accpets Protector award.</title>
			<description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/42/IMG_6130-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</description>
			<media:description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/42/IMG_6130-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</media:description>
			<itunes:subtitle>Frankie Milley, Honoree, accpets Protector award.</itunes:subtitle>
			<itunes:summary>File uploaded by John McKeever.</itunes:summary>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/42/</guid>
			<pubDate>Sun, 26 May 2013 05:46:38 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>

			<category>photos</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/39/</link>
			<media:thumbnail url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/39/IMG_6127-t.jpg"/>
			 <media:content url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/39/IMG_6127.jpg"/>
			<title>Anna C. Dragsbaek awards Frankie Milley with the first annual Protector award for outstanding dedication to immunization issues.</title>
			<description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/39/IMG_6127-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</description>
			<media:description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/39/IMG_6127-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</media:description>
			<itunes:subtitle>Anna C. Dragsbaek awards Frankie Milley with the first annual Protector award for outstanding dedication to immunization issues.</itunes:subtitle>
			<itunes:summary>File uploaded by John McKeever.</itunes:summary>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/39/</guid>
			<pubDate>Sun, 26 May 2013 05:46:38 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>

			<category>photos</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/37/</link>
			<media:thumbnail url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/37/IMG_6125-t.jpg"/>
			 <media:content url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/37/IMG_6125.jpg"/>
			<title>Anna C. Dragsbaek, Executive Director describes the advocacy of Frankie Milly, founder of Meningitis Angels</title>
			<description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/37/IMG_6125-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</description>
			<media:description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/37/IMG_6125-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</media:description>
			<itunes:subtitle>Anna C. Dragsbaek, Executive Director describes the advocacy of Frankie Milly, founder of Meningitis Angels</itunes:subtitle>
			<itunes:summary>File uploaded by John McKeever.</itunes:summary>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/37/</guid>
			<pubDate>Sun, 26 May 2013 05:46:38 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>

			<category>photos</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/36/</link>
			<media:thumbnail url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/36/IMG_6124-t.jpg"/>
			 <media:content url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/36/IMG_6124.jpg"/>
			<title>Dr. Carol Baker speaks on &amp;quot;Vaccines: Truth or Consequences&amp;quot;</title>
			<description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/36/IMG_6124-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</description>
			<media:description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/36/IMG_6124-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</media:description>
			<itunes:subtitle>Dr. Carol Baker speaks on &amp;quot;Vaccines: Truth or Consequences&amp;quot;</itunes:subtitle>
			<itunes:summary>File uploaded by John McKeever.</itunes:summary>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/36/</guid>
			<pubDate>Sun, 26 May 2013 05:46:39 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>

			<category>photos</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/29/</link>
			<media:thumbnail url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/29/IMG_6117-t.jpg"/>
			 <media:content url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/29/IMG_6117.jpg"/>
			<title>HAIP President, Melanie Mouzoon, MD gives opening comments and introduces Dr. Baker</title>
			<description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/29/IMG_6117-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</description>
			<media:description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/29/IMG_6117-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</media:description>
			<itunes:subtitle>HAIP President, Melanie Mouzoon, MD gives opening comments and introduces Dr. Baker</itunes:subtitle>
			<itunes:summary>File uploaded by John McKeever.</itunes:summary>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/29/</guid>
			<pubDate>Sun, 26 May 2013 05:46:39 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>

		<item>

			<category>photos</category>
			<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/20/</link>
			<media:thumbnail url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/20/IMG_6108-t.jpg"/>
			 <media:content url="http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/20/IMG_6108.jpg"/>
			<title>Vicki Brentin, JD</title>
			<description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/20/IMG_6108-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</description>
			<media:description>&lt;img src =&quot;http://www.immunizeusa.org/tpeople/wwwImmunizehouston4.1/jmckeever/photos/20/IMG_6108-m.jpg&quot; /&gt;&lt;br&gt;File uploaded by John McKeever. 
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;
</media:description>
			<itunes:subtitle>Vicki Brentin, JD</itunes:subtitle>
			<itunes:summary>File uploaded by John McKeever.</itunes:summary>
			<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/photos/v/20/</guid>
			<pubDate>Sun, 26 May 2013 05:46:39 GMT</pubDate>
		</item>

<item>
<title>Lorem ipsum</title>
<category>Courses</category>
<link>http://www.immunizeusa.org/en/courses/view.asp?courseid=1</link>
<description><![CDATA[Instructor: Instructor<br><br>

Lorem ipsum<br>
]]></description>
<dc:subject>Course</dc:subject>
<dc:date>2008-01-30T15:51:21Z</dc:date>
</item>

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