Meningitis, Meningococcal

New national organization will be led by two mothers who each lost their daughters to meningococcal meningitis FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., March 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Society for Meningitis Prevention (ASMP) launched today to empower Americans to take action to prevent meningococcal meningitis, a life-threatening bacterial infection. Founded by Patti Wukovits and Alicia Stillman, two mothers who tragically lost their daughters to meningococcal meningitis, ASMP aims to raise awareness among adolescents, young adults, parents, healthcare providers, and policymakers about meningococcal meningitis and the critical role of comprehensive vaccination in preventing it. Meningococcal meningitis, one of the most common types of bacterial meningitis, affects all ages, but is more common among 16-23 year olds.i The disease moves quickly and can kill in a matter of hours or cause permanent complications. To help protect against meningococcal meningitis, patients must be vaccinated against all five types of meningococcal bacteria most likely to cause meningococcal meningitis: A–B–C–W–Y.ii "Meningitis prevention education is more important in the U.S. today than ever. Over the past year, there have been outbreaks of meningococcal meningitis in Texas, Virginia and Florida," said Patti Wukovits, BSN, RN, AMB-BC, co-founder and co-executive director of ASMP. "As a mother and nurse, I don't want any other families to experience what Alicia and I went through. That is why we felt it was critical to launch a national organization dedicated to this cause." In 2017, Wukovits and Stillman first joined forces to launch an educational initiative called the Meningitis B Action Project. Since the launch of the Project, the meningitis prevention landscape has evolved significantly in the U.S. with several complex policy changes, new vaccination options and mounting education priorities. The changes prompted the need for a new nationwide organization dedicated to bringing clarity to an increasingly complex issue. Starting today, the American Society for Meningitis Prevention will replace the Meningitis B Action Project. "While comprehensive meningococcal meningitis prevention against all five serogroups has always been our focus, we felt it was important for our name to reflect that," said Alicia Stillman, MBA, MPH. "Our mission remains the same, but our plan to get there will expand through ASMP. We will continue to emphasize education, but we will also expand our focus to address policy and vaccine equity, as well as building a strong network of advocates across the country." The new organization comes at a critical time when meningitis remains a significant public health concern in the U.S. Through its educational and advocacy efforts, ASMP aims to empower individuals and communities to take proactive measures to ultimately achieve a world without meningococcal meningitis. To learn more about the American Society for Meningitis Prevention, visit meningitisprevention.org. About the American Society for Meningitis Prevention (ASMP): The American Society for Meningitis Prevention (ASMP) – formerly the Meningitis B Action Project – is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3) status pending) dedicated to empowering all people to prevent meningococcal meningitis and achieve a world without this terrible disease. ASMP was born out of the vision and resilience of two mothers, Patti Wukovits and Alicia Stillman, who each lost their young, healthy daughters to meningococcal meningitis. In 2012, high school senior Kimberly, 17, Patti's daughter, died one week before her graduation. In 2013, college sophomore Emily, 19, Alicia's daughter, died just 36 hours after her first symptoms. In their memories, they founded the Kimberly Coffey Foundation and the Emily Stillman Foundation. In addition to their Foundations, both mothers have now joined forces to establish ASMP and ensure no other families needlessly suffer the same fate. Learn more at meningitisprevention.org. Press Contact: [email protected] ________________________ i Age as a Risk Factor. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ii Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. SOURCE American Society for Meningitis Prevention

The collaborators have made the 17-minute film available online. GSK has reunited two stars of "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" for its latest meningitis awareness push. The centerpiece of the next phase of the “Ask2BSure” campaign is a short Lifetime film that features Soleil Moon Frye and Melissa Joan Hart chatting about what moms of teens need to ask their children’s doctors.  Frye, who made her name as a child actor in "Punky Brewster" before teaming up with Hart for "Sabrina," became the face of GSK’s Ask2BSure campaign two years ago. The campaign is designed to encourage the parents of teens and young adults to check whether their children are vaccinated against meningitis B, the pathogen targeted by GSK’s Bexsero. As there are different meningococcal serogroups covered by different vaccines, parents can mistakenly think their teens are protected from meningitis B. Frye, a mom of four, was among the confused parents and has spent the past two years working to raise awareness as part of the Ask2BSure campaign. For the latest phase of the campaign, GSK has worked with Frye and the American cable channel Lifetime to make a short film featuring conversations with a healthcare provider, survivor and mothers who have lost children. Sierra Bodor, director of communications for U.S. vaccines at GSK, explained the thinking behind the approach.  “We were trying to think about who might be a great partner to work with and also reach moms—and that's Lifetime. They're in the right demographic and can help us reach the right people. That, combined with Soleil’s natural storytelling ability, led to the creation of this short film,” Bodor said. “Many Gen X parents feel like they've grown up with Soleil. They feel like they know her, and they trust her opinion.” Soleil and GSK have enlisted the support of Hart for the latest campaign. Bringing Hart on board enables GSK to present a conversation between moms about what to ask doctors—and positions GSK to embark on a new phase of its campaign down the line.  “If you've seen the film, we ended it with Soleil passing on that message to fellow mom and fellow parent Melissa Joan Hart, passing on that message to the next friend. We see the campaign evolving and the message moving on, potentially to include other voices. We have a lot of interesting and fun things on the horizon,” Bodor said. The collaborators have made the 17-minute film available online, and Lifetime will include a short video alongside some of its movies. The campaign, which will also see snippets repurposed for social media, could lead to more parents getting their kids vaccinated against meningitis B and therefore support the growth of GSK’s Bexsero, sales of which rose (PDF) 16% to 753 million pounds sterling ($986 million) last year.

French drugmaker Sanofi showcased its vaccine franchise, part of a promise made two years ago to overhaul what the company at the time acknowledged was a lagging part of its business. Ahead of an event in London on Thursday, the company previewed new data from a dozen vaccine products in development, including two mRNA-based flu shots, RSV products, a pneumococcal vaccine, vaccines for meningitis B and chlamydia, and a therapeutic acne vaccine. Two of those — an RSV vaccine and a pneumococcal vaccine — are slated to enter Phase III in the first half of 2024. Unlock this article instantly, along with access to limited free monthly articles and our suite of newsletters