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Media/Press Release Archive 2006 |
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| A web - based programme on Pandemic Influenza preparedness for Primary Health Care staff is now available. | | » read the full story |
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| From January the 1st 2007 there will be changes to eligibility for the Meningococcal B vaccine (MeNZB™).
Children under the age of five years old will continue to have full access to MeNZB™. This is because they are at highest risk of catching Meningococcal B disease. | | » read the full story |
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| The Cancer Control Council says the government has a unique window of opportunity to address inequalities around cancer as it decides whether the cervical cancer vaccine should be included in the national immunisation schedule. | | » read the full story |
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| Scientific and medical evidence collected through-out the meningococcal prgramme gives us confidence that MeNZB vaccine has an excellent safety profile and is effective.
| | For more information visit: The MeNZB, Safety and Norwegian TV Programme page. |
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| The Immunisation Advisory Centre is concerned that this programme did not present the full story of MeNZB™ vaccination. The following key points note some of the major shortcomings of this programme. | | » read the full story |
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| Media Statement
20 October 2006
Medsafe stands behind the quality of New Zealand's Meningococcal B Vaccine
| | » read the full story |
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| MINISTRY OF HEALTH RESPONSE TO NORWEGIAN TV DOCUMENTARY TO SCREEN ON NEW ZEALAND’S TVNZ’S SUNDAY PROGRAMME ON NOVEMBER 5 2006
The Ministry of Health, health professionals and health groups are concerned about the impact that this Norwegian television documentary, which is dominated by long-standing critics of New Zealand’s Meningococcal B Immunisation Programme, will have here. | | » read the full story |
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| Society President Dr Nick Baker said of MeNZB vaccine,
“The dramatic reduction in cases is a major step forward for
child and youth health.”
| | » read the full story |
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| Doctors at the University of Auckland’s Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) are appalled by a Norwegian documentary that portrays the MeNZB vaccine as unproven and unsafe. | | » read the full story |
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| We have gone from 200 cases of meningococcal disease per year to less than 40; we are now reaping the rewards of an incredibly successful public health programme. Despite the odds over 3 million doses of vaccine have been given. That is a huge success by any measure, especially in terms of health care savings in hospitals and more importantly, the lives of New Zealand families. | | » read the full story |
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| Medsafe, the unit of the Ministry of Health responsible for assessing and approving medicines and vaccines, has no concerns about the quality of the vaccine used in New Zealand's Meningococcal B Immunisation programme | | » read the full story |
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| The Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) supports the parents who marched on parliament yesterday to campaign for a vaccine against pneumococcal disease to be added to the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule. | | » read the full story |
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| 2006 marks the 50th anniversary of the Salk polio vaccine in New Zealand. Thanks to this vaccine, developed by Jonas Salk, New Zealand is currently free from the scourge of polio – a virus that can cause paralysis, permanent crippling and even death. | | » read the full story |
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| The Expose television programme which screened on TV One Monday 14th Augsust raised some questions around the use of thiomersal in vaccines.
| | For more information visit: The Thiomersal page. |
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| Media Release (WDHB)
9 August 2006
The recent death from epidemic strain Meningococcal B of a fully immunised Waikato child is a sobering reminder to remain vigilant for the disease and seek treatment as soon as possible. | | » read the full story |
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| Media Release Ministry of Health 8 August 2006
Children and young New Zealanders who are not immunised against the epidemic strain of group B Meningococcal disease have a five times higher risk of getting it than those who are fully-immunised, preliminary results from an independent study show. | | » read the full story |
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| One of the highly anticipated anti-cancer vaccines, Gardasil™, has now been registered for use in New Zealand by the medicine regulatory body Medsafe.
This vaccine protects against 4 strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV), which cause 70% of cervical cancers. | | » read the full story |
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| A series of recent measles outbreaks in Australia, Fiji, Germany and several other countries have raised the question how will this affect New Zealand travellers? | | » read the full story |
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| New Zealanders at high-risk from seasonal influenza have less than two weeks to get free immunisation against this serious disease before the Government-subsidised programme ends on June 30. | | » read the full story |
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| A campagin to immunise all children under the age of 6 years old
has intensified in Fiji as the cases of measles continue to rise. The Fiji Times reports that there were 69 cases of measles to March 31st, 24 more cases than at the beginning of the week.
Of the 69 cases, 59 were reported in the Western Division.
| | » read the full story |
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| On February 1st the new 2006 Immunisation Schedule comes into effect. The changes include a much-needed boost for adolescent whooping cough protection as well as additional vaccines for eligible children with medical conditions and adults undergoing removal of their spleen. | | » read the full story |
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| As we enter 2006 with the threat of pandemic influenza increasing, the National Influenza Strategy Group (NISG) says it’s vital that more people are immunised against seasonal influenza this season to reduce the spread of this serious and potentially fatal disease.
New Zealanders will be able to get their annual influenza vaccination from their family doctor from early March
| | » read the full story |
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| A 4th dose of the MeNZB vaccine is being introduced for all babies who received their 1st dose before they were six months old.
This follows Medsafe granting approval for a 4th dose for babies, the age group at greatest risk from the country's group B meningococcal epidemic.
A 4th dose was signalled as likely when the vaccine was first licensed for young babies.
The Ministry of Health says the 4th dose, to be introduced in immediately, will significantly boost the immune response of babies and offer them increased protection from the disease. | | » read the full story |
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| The Ministry of Health recently announced the latest national schedule changes that will come into effect from February 1st 2006.
1. Timing of Whooping Cough Vaccination to Change
a) Whooping cough vaccination extended to 11 year olds.
b) Whooping cough vaccination no longer offered at 15 months of age.
2. Pneumococcal Immunisation Programme to begin
3. Pre & Post Splenectomy Vaccines to be Funded | | » read the full story |
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