Sponsored by:
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
Senator MARCIA A. KARROW
District 23 (Warren and Hunterdon)
SYNOPSIS
Requires parents of children receiving influenza vaccinations to be informed of thimerosal-free alternatives.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning thimerosal-free influenza vaccinations and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Prior to administering an influenza vaccine that contains thimerosal to a child in this State, a health care provider shall give the child’s parent or guardian information concerning thimerosal-free influenza vaccination alternatives, which may be available to be administered to a child upon the request of a parent or guardian.
2. This act shall take effect on the 60th day after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires a health care provider to provide a parent or guardian with information concerning thimerosal-free influenza vaccination alternatives for children, which may be available to be administered to a child upon request by the parent or guardian.
For the 2008-2009 influenza season, there is one thimerosal-free product licensed for children six to 23 months-old. For children between the ages of two and five years of age, there are three products available that are thimerosal-free or preservative-free. Given the uptake of influenza vaccinations among children less than five years of age, and the anticipated increase in vaccination coverage during this influenza season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects that the thimerosal-free vaccine supply for this age group will be adequate to meet demand.