JELF Scholar Update

I’m sure we are all aware of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) vote to revoke its long-standing recommendation that all newborns receive a hepatitis B vaccination within 24 hours of birth. This decision is sadly expected to lead to a resurgence of a disease which was nearly eliminated in children and teens for the last 35 years due to effective vaccination policy. To advocate for our patients’ continued access to vaccines, the ASPN Public Policy Committee (PPC) has formed a vaccine work group to refine ASPN’s positions on vaccine policy. As part of this initiative the work group aims to collect information from current local institutions and states on vaccine policies, via the vaccine survey below. Please share any information on existing policies and practices locally as it will be very helpful to provide uniform vaccine recommendations.

ASPN Vaccine Workgroup Sign-up

As part of my JELF project, my goal is to support patients with CKD during the changing tide of vaccine recommendations through clear guidance on implications to their long-term health. I am developing a survey on vaccine sentiments in patients with CKD and their parents, to understand the impact of the ACIP announcements on the patient-doctor relationship. I am thrilled to embark on this project to advocate for children living with kidney disease.

At our JELF scholars’ webinar this November, Dr. Tracey Wilkinson and Dr. Gabriel Bosslet from the Indiana University School of Medicine were invited to speak about their advocacy efforts as physicians. They spoke about how they make time as busy academic physicians for advocacy work, how to form coalitions across disciplines and stakeholders, and how to utilize different media formats (e.g. Podcasts, social media) to reach an audience. Their message was inspiring. In addition to leaving scholars feeling empowered, they gave us practical tools to show up as advocates in our own careers. I look forward to continuing to gain advocacy skills and learn how to apply them to my clinical practice.

Carol Shen
JELF Scholar
Pediatric nephrologist
Cohen Children’s Medical Center, NY