Thomas J. Berger, PH.D. on measles

It comes to no surprise that the recent outbreak of more than 100 cases (at this writing) of measles in the nation opened up contentious debate over vaccinations, which in turn , has a profound impact on public health. Though measles were declared no longer endemic in the United States more than a decade ago, it has not been eradicated. As long as measles exist around the globe, still common in some countries in Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa, the threat of its introduction by people outside of the country will continue to remain. The outbreak brings to light that immunization is in itself a public health issue, and vaccines play a significant role to increase the wellbeing of our Americans by elevating preventability and sustainability within the healthcare ecosystem. An essential part of public health, in the practice of serving and honoring all the men and women who are American veterans, is to consistently address healthcare initiatives applicable to them. Our military and the Veterans Health Administration has long been in touch with the public health issues surrounding our veterans, working to reach the 21.8 million American veterans currently in the U.S., to provide a comprehensive system of healthcare assistance. The Veterans Health Council’s ongoing expansive efforts to educate and inform veterans of health benefits to ensure proper and prompt medical care, extends to raising awareness on necessary immunizations. For example, in October 2014, the Department ...
Source: PHRMA - Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Source Type: news