Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1984. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The New York Times - December 16, 1984
A coalition of public, private and professional groups on Thursday opened a national education campaign aimed at increasing the inoculation of those at high risk of getting the disease.
Groups at high risk include health care workers, sexually active homosexual men, hemophiliacs, kidney dialysis patients, people who abuse injectable drugs, people in institutions and certain ethnic groups, such as Alaskan Eskimos and Vietnamese refugees.
The incidence of the disease has risen steadily even though the preventive vaccine has been available for almost two years, according to the Federal Centers for Disease Control, which said there were about 200,000 hepatitis B infections annually.
Dr. James O. Mason, director of the Federal health agency, said concern about vaccine safety, the usual difficulty in vaccinating adults and high costs were among the reasons so many remained unprotected against the disease.
Extensive testing shows that the vaccine, which is derived from blood products, does not transmit acquired immune deficiency syndrome, despite unsubstantiated rumors to the contrary, Dr. Mason said. AIDS, an often-fatal disease that destroys the body's immune system, is believed to be caused by a virus transmitted through intimate contact with bodily fluids such as blood.
"It is clear, absolutely clear, that this vaccine is safe," Dr. Mason said. "It does not contain the AIDS virus, and even if it did, the data demonstrate that the virus would be killed by inactivation steps used in the manufacturing process."
Dr. Mason said the nation had a successful system for childhood immunization but always had difficulty persuading adults to be vaccinated for diseases they may not perceive as life- threatening. Hepatitis has been around for so long that many do not understand its true risks, he added.
Most Expensive Vaccine
The vaccine, which was developed by Merck Sharp and Dohme Inc., is the most expensive ever produced. The manufacturers say that the price of $100 for the three-inoculation series needed to produce immunity reflects the extremely high cost of developing and producing the vaccine.
Health authorities noted that many insurance companies did not compensate for this disease-preventing vaccine. They criticized this policy as short-sighted because hepatitis B costs the country more than $1 million daily in treatment and other expenses.
Dr. James E. Maynard of the health agency said there were about 40 cases of hepatitis B for each 100,000 people in 1979, but by 1983 the number rose to 60 cases for each 100,000. The B type now accounts for 40 percent of all cases of viral hepatitis in this country, he added. It affects children as well as young adults, he said.
There is no effective treatment for the disease, which directly kills 250 people each year, he said.
841216
NYT841210
Copyright © 1984 - The New York Times Company. All Rights Reserved. All New York Times articles contained on the AEGiS web site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of The New York Times Company. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. However, you may download articles (one machine readable copy and one print copy per page) for your personal, noncommercial use only.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1984. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 1984. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .