July 2016

A Step Backward: HRSA’s Elimination of the ACHDNC Threatens Progress on Newborn Screening

Author: NCMVF Board of Directors The National CMV Foundation is deeply concerned by HRSA’s recent decision to dissolve the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children (ACHDNC)—a cornerstone of equitable, evidence-based newborn screening for over 20 years. Without this federal oversight, there's now no national process to evaluate and recommend new conditions—including congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV), the most common infectious cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities in the U.S.

Dr. Stanley Plotkin talks CMV vaccine research

Dr. Stanley Plotkin has such a storied vaccine development career that one might say he wrote the book on vaccines. In fact, he did and his book “Vaccines”, now in its 6th edition, is the standard medical reference. Dr. Plotkin’s background reads like a roadmap of 20th century infectious disease—polio, rubella, rotavirus, rabies, and varicella (chicken pox). His career has been spent on the development of these vaccines and he now advises and influences clinical practice, academia, vaccine policy, as well as industry. Fortunately, Dr. Plotkin is also the leading advocate for a CMV vaccine and recently spoke with National CMV’s Janelle Greenlee about the status and future of CMV vaccine development.  

Final CMV awareness infographic available

2016's National CMV Awareness Month has concluded and we want to thank all of our supporters for helping us to make this June's awareness campaign a success! Each week of June featured a different themed awareness infographic, as well as ideas for photos and social media posts that helped our community to educate their family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors about the dangers of congenital CMV. Keep June awareness going all year long and post the final, complete CMV awareness infographic featuring all four themes and corresponding CMV facts!