Recent News

"Panel of Baltimore-Area Doctors, Health Officials Discuss Measles” (FOX45 News - February 9, 2015)

Feb 10th, 2015

The CDC puts the latest measles outbreak numbers at 121 cases in 17 states, and growing. On Monday in Baltimore, "Measles Rises Again: The Science and Policy of a Preventable Outbreak" was the title of a symposium at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. A panel of the area's top doctors and public health officials spoke about the status of the current outbreak as well as the effectiveness of the vaccine and problems with a minority of parents who refuse to vaccinate their children, putting the rest of the public at risk. They did say Monday that 99% of Baltimore City's public school children are up to date on the vaccine, and that Maryland has one of the highest rates of vaccination in the country
 

"Doctors to Vaccine Doubters: Get Your Kids Vaccinated" (NBC News - February 9, 2015)

Feb 10th, 2015

Baltimore-area doctors made a public stand in favor of vaccines Monday, standing literally shoulder to shoulder to urge holdouts to get their kids vaccinated against measles. "Ours is an unequivocal message. Vaccines are safe, they are effective, and they save lives every single day," Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen said as the group stood up in front of a seminar about measles at the Johns Hopkins University school of public health. "The Disneyland outbreak raises the real risk that measles may come roaring back. We have come too far to let that happen," the group said in a statement.

"Baltimore experts urge widespread measles vaccination" (Daily Record - February 9, 2015)

Feb 10th, 2015

In the wake of the Disneyland measles outbreak, Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen is urging all parents to vaccinate their children against measles and other preventable diseases. Wen will be joined by a coalition of pediatricians and public health experts at a symposium Monday afternoon at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The topic is “Measles Rises Again: The Science and Policy of a Preventative Outbreak.” Wen — who said the recent outbreak should be a “wake-up call” to parents and caregivers — and 15 other experts signed a consensus statement in favor of widespread vaccination.

"Amid measles outbreak, public health officials take on obstacles to vaccination" (Baltimore Sun - February 9, 2015)

Feb 10th, 2015

After the worst month for measles in more than two decades, public health officials gathered at the Johns Hopkins University on Monday to talk about ways to prevent 2015 from becoming the worst year for the disease. Local, state and federal officials spoke of boosting vaccination rates against the highly contagious and potentially deadly disease by making it more difficult for parents to claim exemptions for religious or personal beliefs, by reaching out to those who refuse vaccinations and by better tracking of children who are not vaccinated.

"Maryland health leaders call for law requiring docs to report immunizations" (Baltimore Business Journal - February 9, 2015)

Feb 10th, 2015

An outbreak of measles spreading across the country is prompting Maryland health officials to take a closer look at its policies for tracking immunizations. Several public health officials on Monday participated in a panel discussion about state and local response to measles at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore County's top health officer Dr. George Wm. Branch, and former Maryland Health Secretary Dr. Joshua Sharfstein (now an associate dean at Hopkins) all emphasized the need for Maryland to stay vigilant about infectious diseases despite its high vaccination rates.

"Sunday Q&A: Leana Wen, Health Commissioner for Baltimore City" (WBAL-TV - February 8, 2015)

Feb 9th, 2015

Health Commisisoner Dr. Leana Wen was the Q & A segment guest on WBAL-TV on February 8, 2015, speaking about the health future for Baltimore.

"Baltimore-area doctors: Measles vaccines an 'obligation to one another'" (Baltimore Sun - February 9, 2015)

Feb 9th, 2015

In response to a measles outbreak in California, pediatricians from 10 Baltimore-area medical institutions and city Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen are calling on local parents to vaccinate their children. A consensus statement signed by Wen and pediatric leaders from Johns Hopkins, Sinai, University of Maryland, Saint Agnes, MedStar, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Mercy and Harbor hospitals and practices called vaccines "more than an individual choice; they are an obligation to one another.

"Baltimore health commissioner and physicians call for measles vaccinations" (Washington Post - February 9, 2015)

Feb 9th, 2015

Baltimore's health commissioner and a group of leading physicians Monday called on parents to vaccinate their children against the measles, warning that "the Disneyland outbreak raises the real risk that measles may come roaring back. "We have come too far to let that happen," the group said in a statement it released Monday. "...Make sure your child is up-to-date on all vaccines. This protects your child and will help safeguard all children in our community. Vaccines are more than individual choice; they are our obligation to one another."

"Baltimore has been 'lucky' to avoid measles, health commissioner says" (Baltimore Business Journal - February 9, 2015)

Feb 9th, 2015

There hasn't been a confirmed measles case in Baltimore for more than a decade and 99 percent of Baltimore public school children have gotten their shots, but Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen thinks you should be worried about vaccines. "I don't think this is overblown," Wen said. "The fact that we haven't had a measles case in Baltimore means we're lucky."

"500 new cases of HIV/AIDS every year in Baltimore" (WMAR - ABC2, February 5, 2015)

Feb 6th, 2015

It is no longer a fatal diagnosis, but HIV/AIDS is still a major problem in 2015.  "We in Baltimore City like other urban cities across the U.S., have HIV as a significant problem that is an epidemic," Dr. Leana Wen, Health Commissioner in Baltimore City, said. Click here to watch the story.

 

Pages