News Release

For Immediate Release -- March 07, 2012

Adenovirus Vaccine Recognition Ceremony

(Fort Detrick, Md.) - The U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity will host a recognition ceremony for the FDA approval and fielding of the adenovirus vaccine March 12 at the Community Activity Center here at Fort Detrick, Md.

Maj. Gen. James Gilman, commanding general of USAMRMC will kick off the recognition ceremony. The keynote address will be provided by the Honorable Jonathan Woodson, M.D., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs.

"The licensure and fielding of the Adenovirus Type 4 and Type 7 Vaccine, Live Oral is significant because every basic trainee of all five military services now gets this vaccine," said Dr. Cliff Snyder, product manager for the adenovirus vaccine at USAMMDA. "There are not many medical products that are used in every trainee."

The results of this endeavor has significantly decreased the overall rate of febrile respiratory illness and essentially eliminated type 4 and type 7 adenoviruses as a threat to the health of trainees.

The event will also celebrate the successful partnerships between the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Naval Health Research Center, the Military Vaccine Agency and Industry. USAMRMC is recognizing the overall effort it took to reacquire Adenovirus Type 4 and Type 7 Vaccine, Live, Oral and deploy it for administration to the basic training recruits of all five Services.

According to Snyder, the previous manufacturer stopped production in 1996 and by 1999 the adenovirus vaccine supplies were exhausted. The incidence of febrile respiratory illness attributed to adenovirus type 4 infections increased creating a critical need for the DoD to reacquire the vaccine for the health and safety of the recruits.

To RSVP and to arrange media escort for this event, contact Carey Phillips, USAMMDA Public Affairs, call (301) 619-7056 or email USAMMDA.PAO@amedd.army.mil.

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