2009 Adult Immunization Schedule Approved

11 jan 2009--Updated guidelines on vaccinating adults have been released by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and appear in Annals of Internal Medicine.

No new vaccines have been added since last year, but some of the footnotes to existing vaccines have been revised. Among the changes:

• Smoking and asthma are now indications for the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine.
  
• A four-dose schedule is offered for the combined hepatitis A/hepatitis B vaccine.
  

In addition, the immunization schedule has been updated to clarify the following:

• Adults who've received only one dose of varicella vaccine should receive another.
  
• Occupational exposure to human papillomavirus vaccine does not place healthcare professionals at risk.
  

The American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American College of Physicians have all approved these guidelines.

LINK(S):

Immunization schedule in Annals of Internal Medicine (Free)

Annals of Internal Medicine editorial (Subscription required)