Adolescent immunization.

During the last century National Immunization Program (NIP) were implemented worldwide. The program started with a small number of vaccines for universal administration to infants and young children. In the second half of the century an evolution (slow in the start and rapid later) occurred in the structure of NIPs especially in developed countries. NIPs were enriched with new and more effective vaccines and expanded to adolescents and adults. The Adolescent Immunization Program (AIP) developed its own instructions and schedule that are continuously revised to improve further its efficacy. AIP composes of three main parts: a) the administration of novel vaccines produced for exclusive use in adolescents, b) the catch up process to supplement incomplete pediatric immunization schedule and c) the coverage of high risk groups with the appropriate vaccines. The novel vaccines for adolescent immunization are: the human papillomavirus (HPV2 and HPV4), the conjugated meningococcal with serotypes A, C, Wand Y, (MCV4), and the adult type of tetanus - diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap). Even in developed countries adolescent immunization is still below the desirable rates, critical for the prevention of diseases covered by the program. Thus at present a major challenge for adolescent immunization programs of developed countries is improvement of compliance to achieve and maintain high vaccination rates, for this age group, to provide an overall public health benefit.

International network on endocrine complications in thalassaemia (I-CET): an opportunity to grow.

Most of the endocrine complications in thalassaemia are attributable to iron overload which may be the result of economic circumstances (expense of the chelation therapy), late onset of chelation therapy or poor compliance with the iron chelation therapy. The major difficulties reported by hematologists or pediatric endocrinologists experienced in thalassaemias or thalassaemia syndromes in following growth disorders and endocrine complications were: lack of familiarity with medical treatment of endocrine complications (40%), interpretation of endocrine tests (30%), costs (65%), absence of paediatric endocrinologist for consultation on growth disorders and endocrine complications (27%), facilities (27%), other (e.g. lack of collaboration and on-time consultation between thalassaemic Centers supervised by hematologists and endocrinologists) (17%). Because any progress we make in research into growth disorders and endocrine complications in thalassaemia should be passed on to all those suffering from it, guaranteeing them the same therapeutic benefits and the same quality of life, on the 8th of May, 2009 in Ferrara (Italy), the International Network on Endocrine Complications in Thalassemia (I-CET) was founded. The I-CET group is planning to conduct, in Ferrara in May 2012, a workshop, "MRI and Endocrine Complications in Thalassaemia", and in Doha (Qatar) in September 2012, a 3-day intensive course entitled, "Growth disorders and Endocrine Complications in Thalassaemia", to provide interested pediatricians, physicians and hematologists from all over the world with an in-depth approach to the diagnosis and management of growth and endocrine disorders in thalassaemic patients.