Photo: New Survey Results Show Most Moms Are Aware Their Pre-teens and Teens Need Vaccines

NEW YORK, Aug. 7 /PRNewswire/ — A new survey reports that most moms know their children need additional vaccines beyond those received when they were infants or small children. But according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates, most pre-teens and teens do not have all the vaccinations that it recommends. As children approach adolescence they can develop risks for certain diseases and protection from some childhood vaccines can wear off over time.

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The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, with support from Merck & Co., Inc., found that 4 out of 5 moms of pre-teens and teenagers agree that pre-teens and teenagers need additional vaccines beyond those they received when they were younger. However, although coverage rates for pre-teens and teens are increasing for most routine vaccines, a recent CDC report shows that most still do not have all of the recommended vaccinations.

“These results mirror what I see in my own practice – a lot of adolescents not up to date on their vaccines, in spite of their parents awareness of the need for them,” said Dr. Lolita McDavid, Board-Certified Pediatrician practicing at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. “Taking your kids – including pre-teens and teens – for an annual check-up should be as routine as buying them school supplies. I encourage all moms to schedule an appointment with their child’s health care professional today and to visit www.cdc.gov to learn more about the vaccines recommended for pre-teens and teens.”

The CDC recommends a number of vaccines for pre-teens and teenagers and the complete adolescent vaccination schedule is available at www.cdc.gov.

About Dr. Lolita M. McDavid

Lolita M. McDavid is Medical Director of Child Advocacy and Protection at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, the pediatric hospital of University Hospitals Case Medical Center. She is responsible for community outreach and programming as well as coordinating the medical services for the Child Protection Unit, serving at-risk children and families in Northeast Ohio. She is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU).

Dr. McDavid serves on the committee of several national organizations including the Grant Review Committee and Peer Review Group at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Advisory Committee of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, among others.

About the Survey

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive, with support from Merck & Co., Inc., between June 2-8, 2009 among 424 18+ female parent/legal guardian who have one or more children between the ages of 11 and 18. A full survey methodology is available upon request.

About Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck & Co., Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck currently discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The Company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate Merck medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck also publishes unbiased health information as a not-for-profit service. For more information, visit www.merck.com.

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SOURCE Merck & Co., Inc.