[Table of Contents]

Volume: 25S5 - August 1999

Proceedings of the National Varicella Consensus Conference
Montreal, Quebec
May 5-7, 1999

Promotion of Varicella Vaccination Programs

As with any newly licensed vaccine, in order to maximize vaccine coverage, it will be very important that varicella vaccination programs include educational activities targeting policy makers, health care professionals, and the general public. Participants examined the challenges to the successful implementation of routine varicella vaccination programs arising from lack of information, misinformation or misconceptions about the disease or the efficacy and safety of the vaccine. The need to provide consistent, up-to-date information about the associated benefits and risks was stressed. Educational activities should include expert and academic input, which tend to be credible sources of information for health care providers in particular, as well as parental advocacy, which proved a successful component of the strategy to introduce the hepatitis B vaccine in British Columbia, and subsequently across the country.

Promotional activities targeted at policy makers should focus on the possible severe consequences of the disease and prevention through vaccination. To promote routine varicella vaccination among health care providers, provincial/territorial funding for both promotion and delivery should be provided to public health units, since it is unrealistic to introduce an immunization program without providing additional funding to pay for staffing. Health care providers in the non-public health sector, such as pharmacists, should be provided with adequate information to motivate them to promote the vaccine. Specific attention will be required to deal with the anti-vaccine lobby with the objective of providing accurate and clear information to help the public make fact-based decisions. Strategies identified include presenting current, factual information to counter anti-vaccine messages, having references available, and involving credible experts.

National bodies such as Health Canada and the Canadian Immunization Awareness Program have a coordinating role to play in gathering and providing educational materials, but it was recognized that decisions on distributing the material should remain with provincial/territorial authorities and other jurisdictions responsible for vaccination programs, which can link promotional activities with routine vaccination programs once those are implemented. In jurisdictions that lack a system to distribute promotional material effectively, groups such as the Canadian Paediatric Society should be approached for help.

Recommendation 4.1

Information regarding varicella (including the burden of illness and complications; health care costs; vaccine efficacy and safety; the NACI recommendations for vaccine use; and the National Varicella Consensus Conference recommendations) should be presented at the upcoming meeting of the Deputy Ministers of Health, and this information should be made available for presentation to other key policy makers.

Recommendation 4.2

The Canadian Immunization Awareness Program should make available to provincial/territorial authorities and other jurisdictions responsible for vaccination programs information packages, for distribution to health care providers (public health, non-public health, pharmacists) at the appropriate time. The packages should include the NACI statement on varicella; the National Varicella Consensus Conference recommendations; a Q&A format indicating incidence and complications of varicella disease and the benefits and risks of vaccine; information available on Health Canada's web site; a bibliography; and other web site links.

Recommendation 4.3

The Canadian Infectious Disease Society, the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Nurses Association, the Canadian Paediatric Society, the Canadian Public Health Association, and other professional associations should raise the profile of varicella disease/vaccine through the inclusion of (1) articles in their professional publications and (2) presentations at professional meetings (CEU/CME credits).

Recommendation 4.4

The Canadian Paediatric Society should take a lead role in coordinating the promotion of varicella vaccination by (1) providing a speaker list regarding varicella vaccination, for continuing education events and media interviews; (2) developing an educational package (slides, hand-outs) for use in presentations at the local level; and (3) incorporating information on varicella vaccine in Your Child's Best Shot and other educational materials.   Recommendation 4.5 The promotion of varicella vaccination to the general public should be done at the provincial/territorial and local level, by providing information regarding the disease, the vaccine and the local program through the use of (1) media, including press conferences and public service announcements; (2) partnerships with non-governmental organizations, service clubs, and the private sector; and (3) advocacy by individuals affected by the disease.

Recommendation 4.6

Health Canada and provincial/territorial public health authorities should monitor and exchange information on varicella vaccine that is disseminated by persons and organizations opposed to immunization, together with accurate, referenced material regarding the issues raised.

Recommendation 4.7

Health Canada should monitor varicella vaccine acceptance by including relevant questions in surveys such as the National Population Health Survey and repeating the 1999 survey on the use of varicella vaccine in Canada in 1 to 2 years.

Recommendation 4.8

Provincial/territorial authorities or Health Canada should provide a 1-800 telephone number to ensure standardization of information and registry of information.

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