More than 128,000 shots have been administered to Texas children through Be Wise — Immunize since 2004.
Be Wise — ImmunizeSM is a public health initiative of the Texas Medical Association. The program combines education and hands-on immunization clinics to increase statewide vaccination rates. Be Wise offers physicians current information and best practices on childhood and adolescent immunization, and educational materials for patients to promote the importance, safety, and effectiveness of vaccines. A panel of pediatricians, family physicians, and infectious diseases specialists oversee Be Wise, providing expert advice on program operation and content.
The work of Be Wise and other immunization initiatives has paid off: Texas achieved its highest vaccination ranking ever for children aged 19 through 35 months in 2007, according to National Immunization Survey. Texas ranked 22nd among the 50 states, up from 41st in 2004 when the Be Wise — Immunize program began.
Watch these videos to learn more about the Be Wise program:
Be Wise — Immunize is a joint initiative of TMA and the TMA Alliance, a volunteer organization of physicians and their spouses, and is funded through a grant from the TMA Foundation. The program began in 2004.
Thanks to H-E-B for a generous gift that provides major support for the Be Wise – Immunize program in 2009 and 2010.
How Physicians Can Get Involved
For You and Your Practice: Be Wise offers tools to help you implement or enhance existing vaccination practices.
- Use the Be Wise physician childhood (PDF) and adolescent (PDF) toolkits to put vaccination best practices in place in your office. The toolkits inform you and your staff how to useImmTrac (Texas’ immunization registry), join the Texas Vaccines for Children program, and talk to parents about conscientious objection.
- Take continuing medical education (CME) courses offered through Be Wise. Each year, programs about timely vaccination topics are available to physicians at TexMed, the association’s annual meeting, and other CME programs are offered continually.
- Join the Be Wise Advocates Panel and help get the word out about the importance and safety of vaccinations by writing a letter to the editor, or becoming a spokesperson on vaccinations.
For Your Patients: Be Wise offers materials you can use to educate your patients about vaccines.
- Use Be Wise educational materials (posters, fact and fiction handouts, and more) to educate parents about the importance of properly vaccinating their young children and adolescents. Post these materials in your waiting and exam rooms. The materials are free.
- Host a low-cost/free vaccination clinic after hours or on the weekend.
Get involved today. For more information, e-mail the outreach coordinator or call (512) 370-1470.
How TMA Alliance Members and Medical Students Can Get Involved
The TMA Alliance and medical student chapters provide grassroots support for the program, spearheading Be Wise efforts in communities across Texas. Activities include:
- Organizing low-cost and free immunization clinics,
- Distributing educational materials at local health fairs, and
- Raising public awareness through presentations to parent-teacher associations and civic organizations
TMA offers a step-by-step guide about how to organize, promote, and execute an event. Plus, we have free outreach materials and merchandise for your event. Get involved today.
Sign up for Buzz, a monthly e-newsletter that keeps you up to date on the Be Wise program. To sign up, e-mail the outreach coordinator or call (512) 370-1470.
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Important Vaccination News
Texas School Immunization Requirements Change
Immunization requirements for Texas school children have changed. On March 5, the Texas Department of State Health Services released revisions (PDF) to the state requirements to be more in line with recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The requirements will be phased in from 2009-22. Read more: Phase-In Schedule (PDF) and Frequently Asked Questions (PDF).
Immunization Victories in Texas Legislature
Immunizations scored big in the recent Texas Legislature. Lawmakers voted to expand immunization record-keeping, improve disaster responses, and protect college students from bacterial meningitis.
Senate Bill (SB) 346 makes ImmTrac, Texas’ immunization registry, a lifespan registry. Now when children move into adulthood, their records will remain active in the registry. SB 347 allows the exchange of vaccination information with other states during declared disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina.
SB 1328 requires the Texas Department of State Health Services to study the vaccination needs of first responders and their families, who can be exposed to vaccine-preventable diseases during deployment to a disaster area. Information from the study will be used to assess the feasibility of a vaccination program for first responders.
House Bill 4189 contains an amendment that requires first-time students of a public, private, or independent higher education institution who live in on-campus housing to provide verification of vaccination for bacterial meningitis. This takes effect Jan. 1, 2010.
Texas Ranks as Most-Improved for Immunizations
At the National Immunization Conference in March, Texas was named the most improved state in estimated vaccination coverage for the 4:3:1:3:3:1 series in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Immunization Survey (NIS). From 2004 to the most recent data available, Texas improved 13.5 percentage points — the best improvement in the nation.
Data from the NIS are used to produce timely estimates of vaccination coverage rates for all childhood vaccinations recommended by ACIP. The series calls for four or more doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, three or more doses of poliovirus vaccine, one or more doses of any measles-containing vaccine, three or more doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine, three or more doses of hepatitis B, and one or more doses of varicella for children aged 19 months through 35 months.
Court Says Vaccines Don’t Cause Autism (Feb. 12, 2009)
The U.S. Court of Federal Claims says vaccines do not cause autism. Three rulings related to autism and vaccine injury compensation cases were issued Feb. 12 by the Office of Special Masters of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
The rulings were part of the Omnibus Autism Proceeding created by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to handle the large volume of claims that vaccines induce autism. To ensure timely handling of the more than 4,900 cases, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims divided the claims into three different theories:
- Theory 1: Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine in combination with thimerosal-containing vaccines can cause autism.
- Theory 2: Thimerosal-containing vaccines alone can cause autism.
- Theory 3: The MMR vaccine alone can cause autism.
In the three separate rulings, each of the special masters ruled the MMR vaccine, whether administered alone or in conjunction with thimerosal-containing vaccines, was not a causal factor in the development of autism or autism spectrum disorders, nor were thimerosal-containing vaccines alone.
Physician Toolkits and CME
Be Wise — Immunize has tools to help physicians follow vaccination best practices and overcome barriers to vaccination. The Be Wise — Immunize Toolkit for Children and the Be Wise — Immunize Physician Toolkit for Adolescents are easy-to-use guides, complete with a physician manual and materials you can use in your practice. The toolkits were produced under the guidance of an advisory panel of prominent pediatricians and other physician specialists convened for this purpose.
The toolkits contain best practice guidelines, vaccine safety information, complete details about ImmTrac (Texas' immunization registry), information about the Texas Vaccines for Children program, and more. Check out the patient education materials for placement in your waiting and exam rooms. All materials are in English and Spanish.
Childhood Vaccination
Be Wise—Immunize Physician Toolkit for Children (PDF): Updated in 2008, a comprehensive reference guide on childhood vaccinations for physicians and their staff. Plus, it offers educational materials for your office and patients.
Adolescent Vaccination
Be Wise—Immunize Physician Toolkit for Adolescents (PDF ): Updated in 2009, a comprehensive reference guide on adolescent vaccinations for physicians and their staff. Plus, it offers educational materials for your office and patients.
Best Practice
Communication Tools
Vaccine Information
Vaccination Outreach
CME Opportunities
Vaccine Safety and Efficacy is a continuing medical education video for physicians. Upon completion of the activity, the physician should be able to: (1) identify resources to assist in educating parents on vaccine safety, (2) state evidence relating to vaccine safety and efficacy, (3) describe techniques for allaying parental vaccine safety concerns, and (4) provide information for patients and parents on newly recommended vaccines for adolescents, as well as information on vaccines in development.
TMA designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category I Credit ™ if completed. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Contact Tammy Wishard, TMA outreach coordinator, at (512) 370-1470 or (800) 880-1300, ext. 1470, to receive your DVD. Download your evaluation form and quiz to receive credit.
Plan a Be Wise — Immunize Event or Clinic
TMA has all the tools you need to plan, organize, and implement a free and/or low-cost immunization clinic. Or, if you want to staff a booth at your community health fair, we have free educational materials to educate parents about the importance of vaccinations. Plus, order our free merchandise and Beatrice the Be Wise mascot to make your event fun.
- QuickStart Manual (PDF): A step-by-step guide on how to organize, promote, and carry out an event.
- Event/Order Forms: Order promotional event merchandise and educational materials, request vaccine and supplies, or nursing staff (through Blue Cross Blue Shield's Care Van). You can also find other event-necessary forms.
- Publicity Tools: Items to help you get the word out about your upcoming event(s).
- Artwork: Want to add the TMA Be Wise logo to your promotional materials, fliers, and other related materials? Find it here.
Upcoming Be Wise Events
Aug. 1 — Hispanic Wellness Fair, Tarrant County Medical Society (CMS) Alliance
Aug. 3 — Immunization clinic, Taylor-Jones-Haskell-Callahan CMS Alliance
Aug. 3-7 — Immunization clinic, Tarrant CMS Alliance
Aug. 4 — Immunization clinic, Potter-Randall CMS Alliance
Aug. 8 — KidsFest, Potter-Randall CMS Alliance
Aug. 10-15 — Immunization clinic, Tarrant CMS Alliance
Aug. 11 — Immunization clinic, Potter-Randall CMS Alliance
Aug. 12 — Immunization clinic, Taylor-Jones-Haskell-Callahan CMS Alliance
Aug. 13 — Immunization clinic, Taylor-Jones-Haskell-Callahan CMS Alliance
Aug. 15 — Children’s health fair, Smith CMS Alliance
Aug. 17-21 — Immunization clinic, Tarrant CMS Alliance
Aug. 18 — Immunization clinic, Potter-Randall CMS Alliance
Aug. 20 — Immunization clinic, Taylor-Jones-Haskell-Callahan CMS Alliance
Aug. 22 — Back–to-School Round Up, Tarrant CMS Alliance
Aug. 24-29 — Immunization clinic, Tarrant CMS Alliance
Aug. 25 — Immunization clinic, Potter-Randall CMS Alliance
Be Wise News Room
TMA News
- Encourage Parents to Vaccinate Kids Now (Action, July 1, 2009)
- New Laws Boost Immunization Practices (News release, June 20, 2009)
- “No Pertussis Vaccine Equals Big Risk” (Action, June 3, 2009)
- Easy Way to Help Avoid Swine Flu? Wash Often and Hum a Tune as You Do, Texas Physicians Say (News release, April 29, 2009)
- “DSHS Posts Rotavirus Information” Action, April 15, 2009)
- “State Changes Immunization Rules” (Action, April 13, 2009)
- New Texas Study Urges Innovative Immunization Strategies for Adolescents (News release, April 3, 2009)
- “Autism, Vaccination Not Linked, Court Says” (Action, Feb. 16, 2009)
- “DSHS Issues Pentacel Advisory” (Action, Feb. 16, 2009)
Important News on Vaccinations
- Anatomy of a Scare (series of articles on autism and vaccines) (Newsweek, March 2, 2009)
- “Invasive Haemophilus influenzae Type B Disease in Five Young Children — Minnesota, 2008” (MMWR, Jan. 23, 2009)
- “ACIP Offers Guidelines on Recently Approved Combination Vaccines for Children” (Journal Watch, Oct. 3, 2008)
- U.S. Study Clears Measles Vaccine of Autism Link (Reuters, Sept. 4, 2008)
- Childhood Vaccinations and Back to School (September 2008)
- “The New McCarthyism: Vaccines & Autism” — an opinion editorial by Ari Brown, MD (Wall Street Journal, Oct. 27, 2007).
Preventable Disease Information
Pertussis
Related Links
Be Wise — Immunize is a service mark of the Texas Medical Association.
Last Published: 7/2/2009
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