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Being a physician in the District in the 21st century means being on the front line of the most pressing public health issues in the world. In our small geographic boundaries, physicians help address issue found in every state all in one area. The issues are too lengthy to list on one webpage but physicians are on the front lines of addressing health issues for all District residents.

News, Statements, and Testimony on Health Equity Issues

25th Council session information coming soon.

 

What DC Physicians Need to Know About J&J Vaccine Pause

Apr 13, 2021, 14:36 PM by MSDC Staff
Below are some details you need to know about the J&J pause, with updates made as they happen.


Locally

  • DC Health has asked all providers to pause using the J&J vaccine for the time being.
  • All appointments between Tuesday and Saturday with the J&J vaccine made through the DC Health portal have been cancelled. 
  • Appointments made through the vaccinate.dc.gov portal will be rescheduled and the individuals will be contacted Wednesday evening to set new appointments. 
  • Sites using a federal supply of vaccines will have their plans communicated to them through the appropriate federal channel.
  • Private pharmacies supplied the J&J vaccine will not have those doses replaced from the District stock.

Nationally

  • On April 16, the CDC and FDA announced a pause in the use of the Janssen/J&J vaccine.
  • The agencies announced the pause after six (6) cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) were observed after the J&J vaccine was administered. The CVST was observed in combination with low levels of blood platelets. 
  • All six cases were women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6-13 days post-vaccination.
  • The agencies noted that the usual treatment of these types of blood clots is not advised in these situations.
  • The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met on Wednesday, April 14. The Committee recommended extending the pause until it meets again between April 14 and 24, when it has more data to consider.
  • These 6 cases are among the 6.8 million doses of J&J vaccines administered this year.
  • If your patient has extreme pain or shortness of breath within 3 weeks of being vaccinated, they should contact you immediately. Maintain a high index of suspension for symptoms that might represent serious thrombotic events in patients who have received the J&J vaccine. 
  • Adverse effects to vaccines should be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System at https://vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html.

Takeaways for speaking to your patients:

  • Vaccinations are safe.
  • If the FDA and CDC confirm the vaccine did cause the clots, you still have only a 1 in 1,000,000 chance of it happening to you. You are less likely to suffer a blood clot from the J&J vaccine than lightning hitting you at the same time a shark eats you.
  • This process shows the government is watching the vaccines very carefully, because they are pausing this one vaccine despite very little evidence it is dangerous.

Hear more from MSDC member Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick:

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Sample of Health Equity Legislation MSDC Tracked 

 

Student Access to Treatment Amendment Act (B23-467)

What does it say? The bill allows for the administration of medicinal marijuana in schools as well as allows students to bring sunscreen to schools and apply it without a prescription.

MSDC position: MSDC supports the language permitting sunscreen application in schools

Current status: A win for DC physicians and public health! The legislation passed the Council in February and was signed by the Mayor. Previous temporary and emergency legislation permitted students to use sunscreen at schools this school year already.

Electronic Medical Order for Scope of Treatment Registry Amendment Act (B23-261)

What does it say? The bill requires DC Health to establish an electronic Medical Order for Scope of Treatment registry (eMOST).

MSDC position: MSDC supports this legislation to more easily allow patients to make their treatment orders known.

Current status: A win for the physician community and our patients! The Council passed the bill in December and the Mayor signed it into law on January 16, 2020.

Healthy Beverage Choices Amendment Act (B23-495)

What does it say? The bill would implement a 1.5 cent per ounce tax on the distribution of "sugary" beverages. The money collected from the tax would establish a Healthy People, Healthy Places Open Spaces Grant Program.

MSDC position: MSDC sent a letter to Council Chair Mendelson asking for a hearing to discuss all of the issues around a beverage tax.

Current status: The bill was introduced October 8, 2019 and referred to the Committee on Business and Economic Development and the Committee of the Whole.