Victorian Department of Health: Local transmission of mpox in metropolitan Melbourne
On 8 August 2025, the Victorian Department of Health issues an mpox health alert. From mid-July, 8 mpox cases have been reported including 5 cases locally acquired in metropolitan Melbourne.
In Victoria, free mpox vaccination is available for people who meet certain eligibility criteria.
Read the full health alert at Vic DH: Local transmission of mpox in metropolitan Melbourne
Learn more about mpox at MVEC: Mpox
BBC: Could RFK Jr's move to pull mRNA vaccine funding be a huge miscalculation?
With the US Department of Health and Human Service's (HHS) planned withdrawal of funding for mRNA vaccine technology, the BBC recently published an article outlining why this could be a mistake.
The withdrawal of funding follows US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr questioning the effectiveness of mRNA vaccines in protecting against respiratory viruses.
Prof Andrew Pollard, head of the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation(JCVI), reiterates the strong evidence for safety and efficacy of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, balanced against the very rare risks for side effects. He explains that abandoning research into mRNA technology will impact options for future vaccines and treatments for rare diseases and cancers.
BBC: Could RFK Jr's move to pull mRNA vaccine funding be a huge miscalculation?
Read more about vaccine platforms on MVEC：疫苗平台
RSV administration error resources: ATAGI advice and clinical guidance
Following reports of RSV administration errors to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), 澳大利亚免疫登记 (AIR) and local vaccine safety surveillance systems, 安泰 has issued a statement reiterating appropriate product indications and recommendations.
The ATAGI Statement on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) immunisation products and prevention of administration errors includes guidance on the correct administration of RSV immunisation products and actions following inadvertent administration of the incorrect product.
Clinical guidance on the actions required following any RSV administration error has also been included in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
Practices and immunisers should take appropriate steps to prevent errors, particularly in the context of a relatively new immunisation program. In the event of an error, the vaccinee or guardian should be informed via an open disclosure discussion. The error should also be reported to the jurisdiction’s vaccine safety service (SAEFVIC in Victoria).
Further support can be found via MVECs’ eLearning 疫苗错误：预防、管理和公开披露.
National Immunisation Program pneumococcal changes: Prevenar 20
From 1 September 2025, Prevenar 20 will replace Prevenar 13 Pneumovax 23 on the childhood and adolescent National Immunisation Program (NIP) schedule.
Routine doses are scheduled at 6 weeks, 4 months and 12 months of age, with an additional dose given for higher risk children at 6 months of age or at diagnosis of the at-risk condition. There is no need to recall a person for ‘catch-up’ if they have already completed their full course of pneumococcal vaccination.
Prevenar 20 is a conjugated vaccine that protects against the bacteria 肺炎链球菌. In addition to the protection against the 13 serotypes covered in Prevenar 13, Prevenar 20 offers protection against serotypes 8, 10A, 11A, 12F, 15B, 22F, 33F.
There are no changes to the adult schedule at this time.
Read more on the program changes via the NIP Fact sheet
Read more about pneumococcal at MVEC：肺炎球菌
For further information and the opportunity to ask questions, please save the date for MVEC's upcoming webinar CVU mini: Pneumococcal update. (Recording now available exclusively for Education Portal members.)
TGA: Varicella vaccine shortages
Immunisation providers should be aware of current shortages of the monovalent vaccines in Australia. This shortage in supply impacts both Varilrix and Varivax. There is no impact to government or NIP stock.
For more information, visit the TGA Medicine shortages report database.
In memory of Prof David Isaacs
The MVEC and SAEFVIC teams are deeply saddened by the passing of Prof David Isaacs.
David was not only a well respected paediatric infectious diseases expert, he was also a fierce defender of the rights and wellbeing of children, and a mentor and friend to many. The MVEC team was honoured to have David as a special guest at our 2019 Clinical Vaccinology Update.
His contributions to vaccine policy as member of ATAGI, PBAC and Polio Expert Panel in support of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative leave a lasting legacy.
UQ news: Billion-dollar deal takes UQ vaccine tech to the world
Pharmaceutical company Sanofi has acquired the rights to a unique vaccine technology developed by University of Queensland (UQ) scientists.
The Molecular Clamp platform “streamlines vaccine development across different viral families” according to UQ researchers.
Read more on the UQ website.
The Lancet: Bivalent prefusion F vaccination in pregnancy and respiratory syncytial virus hospitalisation in infants in the UK: results of a multicentre, test-negative, case-control study
A recent UK study finds maternal RSV vaccination has reduced the risk of hospitalisation for infants with RSV whose mother received a vaccine during pregnancy, within the recommended time frame.
Maternal vaccinations were introduced in the UK in August to September 2024, for pregnant people from 28 weeks’ gestation.
Read the full Williams TC, Marlow R, Cunningham S et al. article 在 The Lancet’s Child and Adolescent Health website.
AAP FactCheck debunks vaccine misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines
AAP FactCheck has debunked 2 vaccines myths that have been circulating: no, a study did not report that a rise in cancer rates was explained by COVID-19 vaccine mandates; and no, researchers did not find COVID-19 mRNA vaccines killed more people than the virus.
According the to the FactCheck team, posts circulating on social media that imply rising cancer rates are explained by COVID-19 vaccination have no basis. Social media comments linking cancer rates with COVID-19 vaccination have been published in connection with a study on rising bowel cancer rates based on 1990 to 2020 data, well before COVID-19 vaccines were introduced.
Read AAP FactCheck: Study's cancer rate rise not linked to COVID vaccines for a breakdown of why the claim is false.
AAP FactCheck has also debunked online claims that German scientists announced new evidence proving COVID-19 mRNA vaccines killed more people than the virus. The researchers made no such finding.
Read AAP FactCheck: No, German study did not blame mRNA vaccines for excess pandemic deaths for more details.
Go to MVEC：COVID-19 for information about COVID-19 disease, epidemiology and vaccination.
ProPublica: RFK Jr. Wants to Change a Program That Stopped Vaccine Makers From Leaving the U.S. Market. They Could Flee Again.
Earlier this week Robert F Kennedy Jr announced plans to overhaul the US program that compensates people injured by vaccination.
The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) was developed in the 1980s as a means for people who experience rare but serious side effects from vaccines to receive compensation from pharmaceutical companies, without manufacturers being found negligent. The program was developed at a time when lawsuits drove vaccine makers from the market.
The VICP covers vaccines routinely recommended to children or pregnant people. Changes to the program could potentially prompt vaccines makers to withdraw from the US market like they did in the 1980s.
Read the ProPublica article in full
CNN: Kennedy announces plan to reform Vaccine Injury Compensation Program