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William Schaffner, MD, is the President of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. He is also professor and chairman of the department of preventive medicine and professor of medicine in the department of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tenn. Additionally, he serves as a hospital epidemiologist at Vanderbilt University Hospital.
Friday, November 18, 2011
William Schaffner, MD
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice’s recent vote in favor of hepatitis B vaccination for all patients with diabetes aged younger than 60 years is a giant step forward for millions of Americans.
Friday, November 11, 2011
William Schaffner, MD
Saturday, Nov. 12 is the Third Annual World Pneumonia Day. Again this year I urge you to consider the enormous impact of pneumonia on children across the world and to take a few minutes out of your day to help.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
William Schaffner, MD
I had the pleasure of hosting NFIDs’ Influenza/Pneumococcal news conference this year. Every year, NFID brings together leaders from public health and the private sector to help prepare the nation for the upcoming flu season. As usual, I was impressed by the commitment of so many of our medical and public health colleagues. Here are some highlights:
Friday, September 16, 2011
William Schaffner, MD
I’ve long been a strong supporter of vaccinations in pharmacies, the workplace, senior centers and any other reasonable place that makes it easier for adults to follow the US immunization schedule.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
William Schaffner, MD
As I was writing my last blog about the ongoing pertussis outbreak in California, I couldn’t help wondering why the Hispanic community is being so hard hit there. The peak incidence is 547/100,000 among Hispanic infants younger than 6 months; nine of the 10 infants who died from pertussis in California last year were Hispanic; and 80% of hospitalized infants were Hispanic.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
William Schaffner, MD
Oh, for the good old days! I’m not thinking about the 1950s and greasers or the 1960s and bell bottom pants. I’m thinking about the 1980s — and no, it’s not the fashion that I’m nostalgic for. I’m thinking about a time when it looked like pertussis was headed for the history books. But, by 2004 we saw a huge peak in the US pertussis incidence, and that peak apparently was a warning of dire events to come.
Friday, March 18, 2011
William Schaffner, MD
Jeffrey I. Cohen, MD, chief of the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases at the National Institute of Health, tells about his father’s bout with shingles and postherpetic neuralgia. For months after the rash resolved, his father was in excruciating, nearly constant pain, unable to sleep and so depressed, he later admitted, that he considered suicide. He saw several physicians, but nothing they prescribed helped. Unable to deal with the pain and continue the active life he had been leading before shingles struck, he retired from a job he loved and never worked again.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
William Schaffner, MD
What disease do people fear most? It’s no contest: Cancer.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
William Schaffner, MD
Nearly nine out of 10 primary care doctors say they discuss vaccines with all their patients. I’m not sure what they’re saying or who they’re staying it to, but about half of American adults say they’ve never talked to their physician about immunizations other than the influenza vaccine, and one in five don’t recall any vaccine discussion at all. These and other interesting findings were reported at a recent NFID news conference.
Friday, February 4, 2011
William Schaffner, MD
Note from Dr. Schaffner: I am very pleased to share this guest blog from Donna Mazyck, RN, MS, NCSN, a colleague who sits on the Board of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, and feels as passionately about vaccines and good preventive care as I do. Ms. Mazyck is a state school nurse consultant in Maryland and served as president of the National Association of School Nurses from 2007-2009. Her school nursing experience has been with adolescents in comprehensive and alternative high schools.