Balancing science and practice for child immunization in Russia and the USA: Novgorod Russian Federation 17-19 September 1996.

This report presents the proceedings of the BASICS Seminar on "Balancing Science and Practice for Child Immunization in Russia and the US" held on September 17-19 1996 in Russia. These proceedings were presented at a US National Immunization Conference held on May 19-22 1997 in Detroit Michigan. Seminar participants included prominent international and Russian medical faculty and program administrators in immunization. The 40 seminar participants and 15 observers included Russian Ministry of Health officials and immunization and disease control program staff from three Russian target oblasts. The aim of the seminar was to exchange views on immunization problems and solutions to disseminate several hundred pages of 30 key documents to form international ties to discuss recent developments on the safety and efficacy of immunization and to review options for effective implementation of short lists of contraindications. The focus was on rates of postvaccination complications true and false medical contraindications to immunization immunization of sick children maximization of immunization opportunities and approaches to reducing negative attitudes towards immunization. Participants appreciated the Russian copy of the "Standards for Pediatric Immunization Practices" and other materials from the US Centers for Disease Control that had proven useful in the US. Other practical materials included US state- and country-level brochures on "Childhood Immunization Screening Questions" and videotapes and users guides on immunizations for nurses and physicians. Almost all found the materials to be useful in their work. The seminar was repeated in other countries of the former USSR. An article on the seminar was published and distributed in a newsletter reaching over 70000 people. It was recommended that more positive incentives be used.