The Australian Immunisation Handbook - Yellow Fever Chapter Update

Overview

Overview

Preamble

The purpose of The Australian Immunisation Handbook, 10^th edition (The Handbook) is to provide clinical guidelines for health professionals on the safest and most effective use of vaccines in their practice.

A review of the Yellow Fever chapter of The Handbook has been conducted to update the advice on booster vaccination. This review was prompted by a change to International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 to reflect that an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) against yellow fever will be valid for the duration of the life of the vaccinated person, based on updated advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation. Australia is planning to implement legislation to align with this change in 2016.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has reviewed the available evidence on the need for a booster dose of yellow fever vaccine every 10 years. This involved considering the updated recommendations of the WHO as well as immunisation expert groups from the UK, Canada and the USA, and completing an independent review of the literature on the efficacy and duration of protection of yellow fever vaccines.

A draft chapter update has been developed for endorsement by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in July 2016. This update will be included in the 2016 annual update of The Handbook.

The draft Yellow Fever chapter of The Handbook is available to download from the link below.  All areas which are changed have been marked in grey.

The Australian Immunisation Handbook,10^th edition – Yellow Fever chapter

Submission instructions

Submissions must be provided by midnight on Friday 12 February 2016.

The ATAGI invites you to make a submission on the draft updated Yellow Fever chapter of The Handbook advice. In order to ensure that your submission is as relevant and useful as possible, the ATAGI welcomes suggestions for specific changes and additions to the draft chapter update.

Your contribution is greatly appreciated.

How do I make a submission?

To make a submission, please click on the ‘Online Survey’ link below. After entering your information on the Introduction page, please go to the Yellow Fever chapter page to view or print the updated chapter and enter your comments. Please ensure you provide the page and line number to which your comment refers. The ATAGI will not accept:

• Comments received after the consultation deadline (12 February 2016);
• Comments which do not comply with submission instructions;
• Comments not supplied on the approved template;
• Confidential information or other material that you would not wish to make public; or
• Comments which, in the opinion of the ATAGI, are incorrect or inappropriate.

What happens next

Please note that each submission, including the name of the organisation (if applicable), will be published on the Department of Health website at the conclusion of the consultation. The names of individuals who provide comments will not be published.