BACKGROUND:
Pneumoccocal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) supply was in short supply from February to August 2004. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), with Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP), and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), made recommendations to providers to withhold 3rd and 4th doses of PCV7 to ensure availability for those at highest risk. Previous studies of PCV7 shortages demonstrated that providers often do not follow temporary recommendations during shortages.

OBJECTIVE:
To collect timely data about the awareness of the recommendation, adherence to the recommendation, and supply status of PCV7 in public and private practices.

METHOD:
A 3-phase telephone survey of pediatric practices was conducted over a six-week period while providers were recommended to withhold 3rd and 4th doses of PCV7. Pediatricians who were members of the AAP were randomly selected. Immunization nurses at eligible sites were contacted and asked a series of questions. Eligible sites were defined as those that: provided primary care and routinely administered vaccines to children <5 years, routinely used PCV7, and were not retired.

RESULT:
Survey response rate was 50% (n=399) and the refusal rate was 2%. Over 90% of participating providers were aware of the recommendations. Of those, 90% were also fully implementing the recommendations for healthy children. Participants identified Health Departments and Wyeth Vaccines as the most common sources of information for the recommendations. Practices were more likely to report sufficiency in their public supply vs. their private supply and up to 1/3 of practices had experienced a severe vaccine supply limitation during this shortage. 64% of practices reported use of a tracking system for patients with deferred doses.

CONCLUSION:
Most pediatric practices surveyed were aware of the shortage and were implementing the PCV7 recommendations.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Describe the impact of timely publication of vaccine recommendations on effectively conserving vaccine supplies.