Lexicomp and Facts & Comparisons Updated with Information on European Meningitis B Vaccine Approved for Emergency Importation
Once Contained to Princeton University, the Outbreak Has Spread to the University of California Santa Barbara
Hudson, OH —(December 19, 2013) — Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information for healthcare professionals and students, announced today the addition to its referential drug information resources, Lexicomp® Online™ and Facts & Comparisons® eAnswers, of information on the European vaccine to fight a meningitis B outbreak. The rapid response by the Wolters Kluwer Health reference content team demonstrates the speed and proficiency with which the resources are updated to keep clinicians current in a rapidly evolving drug information environment.
Meningitis B does not respond to any of the four vaccines licensed for use in the U.S. Thus, when eight cases were identified at Princeton University, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) took the unusual step of requesting permission from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to import Bexsero, the only vaccine proven effective against strain B. Made by Novartis, Bexsero is licensed for use in Europe and Australia.
The FDA granted the emergency request in mid-November, and the vaccine is expected to be available to Princeton students in December. Within days of the approval, a presentation of the vaccine was developed by the in-house team of advanced-degree pharmacists and incorporated into both Lexicomp Online and Facts & Comparison eAnswers.
In December, four new cases of meningitis B were identified at the University of California Santa Barbara, bringing the total between the two universities to 12. As the number of institutions battling the outbreak continues to grow, it is imperative that clinicians across the country have access to current clinical information on the vaccine.
“It was critical that we move rapidly to provide U.S. clinicians with access to clear and concise information about this life-saving vaccine,” said David DelToro, Vice President and General Manager, Clinical Drug Information, Wolters Kluwer Health, Clinical Solutions. “While this situation is unique, the speed with which our reference solutions were updated is not. Drug information evolves rapidly and clinicians rely on these resources and our in-house clinical team to monitor the FDA, current literature and pharmaceutical manufacturer announcements to provide them with reliable and current drug information.”
About Wolters Kluwer Health
Wolters Kluwer Health is a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Serving more than 150 countries and territories worldwide, Wolters Kluwer Health’s customers include professionals, institutions and students in medicine, nursing, allied health and pharmacy. Major brands include Health Language®, Lexicomp®, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Medicom®, Medknow, Ovid®, Pharmacy OneSource®, ProVation® Medical and UpToDate®.
Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company. Wolters Kluwer had 2012 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.6 billion), employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide, and maintains operations in over 40 countries across Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. Follow our official Twitter handle: @WKHealth.
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