Pitt Pediatrics congratulates Andrew McCormick, MD, FAAP and Kishore Vellody, MD, for their recent publication in npj Vaccines. This nationwide collaborative work involved the effort of over a dozen research institutes and focused on the relationship of vaccinations and severe infections among individuals with Down syndrome (DS). Vellody served as senior author in this publication.
McCormick serves as a Professor of Pediatrics in our Paul C. Gaffney Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine (PHM), as well as the Director of the Healthy Transitions Program at the Down Syndrome Center of Western Pennsylvania. He also works as a Longitudinal Educator with our University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Vellody is a Professor of Pediatrics also in our PHM Division. He also serves as the Medical Director of the Down Syndrome Center of Western Pennsylvania.
This important research revolves around the fact that while, in general, vaccination rates are at effective levels, individuals with Down syndrome experience higher levels of serious infection as a result of common vaccination schedules. As a result of that unfortunate fact, many do not receive the recommended vaccines. This collaborative research examines how safe and effective vaccines are for people with Down syndrome, why they are more vulnerable to infections, and how scientists are working to improve vaccine protection.
Conclusions include the understanding that vaccines are indeed safe and help the immune system respond, but stresses the need for more effective vaccines that result in even better outcomes. Read more here.
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