Vaccine Fact Sheets
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Provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Vaccine Information Statements
What is a Vaccine Information Statement?
A vaccine information Statement (VIS) is a one-page (two-sided) information sheet, produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), informing vaccine recipients - or their parents or legal representatives - of the benefits and risks of a vaccine. The law requires them to be given out whenever certain vaccinations are given.
Who must give out a VIS?
All providers of vaccines, both public and private sector.
Why must a VIS be used?
It is a requirement of the National Childhood vaccine Injury Act of 1986. Their purpose is to inform parents and people getting vaccinations themselves about the benefits and risks of vaccines.
When must a VIS be given out?
They must be given out at the time of each vaccination - prior to administration of the vaccine.
What VISs must be used?
A VIS must be provided for any vaccine that is covered by the vaccine Injury Compensation Program (i.e., appears on the Vaccine Injury Table). As of September 2001, VISs that must be used are: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP; diphtheria, tetanus (Td); measles, mumps, rubella (MMR); polio (IPV); hepatitis B; haemophilus influenza type b (Hib); varicella; and pneumococcal conjugate. Other VISs that are available are influenza, hepatitis A, pneumococcal polysaccharide, meningococcal, lyme disease, and anthrax. Their use is not required by the national Childhood Injury Act, but is strongly encouraged - and they must be used when giving vaccines through a CDC contract.
How to get a VIS?
The Internet. All current VISs are available on the internet at three web sites -
| The National Immunization Program | http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ |
| The Immunization Action Coalition | http://www.immunize.org |
| The Minnesota Health Department | http://www.health.state.mn.us |
State Health Department
CDC sends each state health department's immunization program camera-ready copies when a new VIS is published. The immunization program in turn provides copies to providers within the state.
National Immunization Information Hotline
Call (800) 232-2522 (English)
(800) 232-0233 (Spanish)
CDC's "Fax-Back" System.
Anyone wanting a single copy of a VIS can get it through the CDC Fax-Back System. Call 1-888-232-3299 (1-888-CDC-FAXX) and, when prompted, enter document number 600502. An NIP "Resource Request List" will be faxed to you from which you can order a VIS, as well as other NIP documents.
Translations
VISs have been translated into a number of languages by the California, Minnesota, Indiana, and Massachusetts Immunization programs.
Translations can currently be found on two web sites:
The Minnesota Health Department
http://www.health.state.mn.us.divs/dpc/adps/transite/htm
The Immunization Action Coalition
http://www.immunize.org
A set of 7 videotapes of VISs (MMR, DTP, Polio, hepatitis B, Hib, varicella, and pneumococcal conjugate) is available in Spanish from the University of Michigan. Tapes run approximately 5-9 minutes each, and a set costs $25.00. For information, call (517) 353-2596
CDC, National Immunization Program: http://cdc.gov/nip
