Immunisation Coalition webinar: RSV prevention begins before birth
The Immunisation Coalition is holding a webinar on maternal RSV vaccination, aimed at updating and educating primary healthcare professionals. Chaired by Dr Rodney Pearce AM, the session features GP Dr Srimal Nawana, nurse practitioner Ms Sonja Elia and pharmacist Ms Jenny Trieu.
तारीख: 3 June 2025
समय: 6:30–7:30 pm (AEST)
Learn more and register on the Immunisation Coalition event page.
एमवीईसी: रेस्पिरेटरी सिंकाइटियल वायरस (आरएसवी)
Australian Immunisation Handbook: Vaccination for special risk groups updated
The ऑस्ट्रेलियाई टीकाकरण पुस्तिका guidance about the vaccination of special risk groups was recently updated.
As of 2 May 2025, a significantly updated chapter on immunocompromise provides clear definitions and categorises the level of immunocompromise across various types of conditions. Subsections in this chapter include:
- Introduction and general principles
- Inborn errors of immunity (IEI), including primary immunodeficiency
- Secondary (acquired) immunodeficiency due to medical conditions
- Secondary (acquired) immunodeficiency due to medical therapies
- People with asplenia and hyposplenia
- Infants exposed to immunosuppressive therapy in utero or through breastmilk
- Close contacts of people who are immunocompromised
- Travellers who are immunocompromised.
The Vaccination for women who are planning pregnancy, pregnant or breastfeeding और Vaccination for international travellers chapters were also updated.
एमवीईसी: इम्यूनोसप्रेशन और टीके
MVEC: Immunosuppression in pregnancy and infant vaccine recommendations
एमवीईसी (MVEC): एमवीईसी: मातृ टीकाकरण
AAP FactCheck debunks more circulating vaccine misinformation
AAP FactCheck has recently assessed online claims regarding the COVID-19 and MMR vaccines.
According to the FactCheck team, a Facebook post claiming that myocarditis from COVID-19 vaccines will lead to millions of deaths is based on a misrepresentation of the Cleaveland Clinic’s information published about viral myocarditis.
Read AAP FactCheck’s full article for a detailed breakdown of why the claim is false.
Go to एमवीईसी: कोविड-19 for information about COVID-19 disease, epidemiology and vaccination.
AAP FactCheck has also deemed that claims a baby in the US developed measles from the MMR vaccine are misleading. Health authorities say there is no evidence that the vaccine caused measles in this case.
AAP FactCheck: Misinformation spreads amid measles outbreak
एमवीईसी: खसरा
Infectious IDeas: A Lifelong Champion of Vaccine Safety—Kathryn M. Edwards, MD (podcast)
Dr Kathryn Edwards is a renowned expert in childhood respiratory diseases, and vaccine safety and efficacy in the United States.
In this podcast episode, Dr Edwards shares her journey to becoming a trailblazer in paediatric infectious disease prevention. Dr Edwards discusses the importance of vaccine safety and adverse event monitoring.
Infectious IDeas: A Lifelong Champion of Vaccine Safety—Kathryn M. Edwards, MD (podcast)
Save the date: CVU mini on immunisation and special risk groups
MVEC is excited to announce our upcoming webinar on immunisation and special risk groups, the latest in our CVU mini series.
Save the date – registrations opening soon!
तारीख: Wednesday 4 June 2025
Location: online
पंजीकरण शुल्क: free event
Our CVU mini event page will be updated with more details.
TGA: Arexvy approved for use in adults aged 50 to 59 with RSV risk
The Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) has extended the approval of the RSV vaccine Arexvy to include adults aged 50 to 59 years who are at increased risk for RSV disease.
Arexvy is also approved for use in all adults aged 60 years and older.
For more information on RSV disease and vaccination, see MVEC’s updated RSV immunisation reference.
World Immunization Week 2025
This year's World Immunization Week runs from 24 April - 30 April 2025 and highlights the critical need to protect all communities against vaccine-preventable diseases and champion that Immunisation for All is Humanly Possible.
Vaccines are one of humanity’s greatest achievements. Over the last 50 years, essential vaccines have saved at least 154 million lives. That’s 6 lives a minute, every day, for five decades. In these 50 years, vaccination accounts for 40% of the improvement in infant survival, and more children now live to see their first birthday and beyond than at any other time in human history. Measles vaccine alone accounts for 60% of those lives saved.
Yet there are more lives to be saved by building on these achievements. Globally, 14.5 million children missed all vaccinations in 2023. In today’s interconnected world, an outbreak anywhere is a threat everywhere.
What can you do?
- make sure you are up to date with your routine vaccines
- if going overseas, ensure you see your immunisation provider at least 6 weeks prior to see if there are additional vaccines recommended for you
- share trusted information on vaccines to stop the spread of misinformation.
AAP FactCheck debunks circulating vaccine misinformation
False claims suggesting that the World Health Organization (WHO) admitted to एमआरएनए टीके causing mpox or breast cancer have been circulating online. AAP FactCheck have deemed both claims false.
There is no evidence to suggest a causal association between mRNA vaccines and mpox, or mRNA vaccines and breast cancer.
In Australia, adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) are thoroughly investigated by jurisdictional and national health authorities through passive and active surveillance systems. This supports our safe vaccination programs and maintains community confidence in vaccines.
AAP FactCheck: False claim linking breast cancer to mRNA vaccines misrepresents WHO study's findings
AAP FactCheck: WHO has not 'admitted' mpox is COVID vaccine side effect
ABC Health Report (podcast): Why the US measles outbreak is so concerning
In a recent episode of the Health Report (19 April 2025), paediatric infectious diseases physician Dr Linny Phuong spoke about the ongoing outbreak of खसरा in the United States and the increasing number of cases emerging in Australia. Key discussion points include:
- disease transmission and the importance of herd immunity
- measles disease and complications
- vaccination (including the need for earlier doses for children travelling)
- maternal protection for newborns
- misinformation and barriers to vaccination.
You can listen to the podcast यहाँ.
New podcast episode (feat. Prof Nigel Crawford): Whooping cough – What you need to know
Prof Nigel Crawford recently spoke with Dr Rebecca Overton about pertussis (whooping cough) in a new podcast episode from HealthEd.
Key features of the discussion included:
- why have there been an increase in pertussis cases
- typical presenting symptoms
- complications of pertussis
- scheduled vaccines (including maternal vaccination)
- how to address concerns about vaccination.
You can listen to the podcast यहाँ.