November 2007

FDA Public Health Notification: 
Meningitis and Cochlear Implants

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently posted a new Public Health Notification regarding meningitis and cochlear implants.  This Public Health Notification recommends that all cochlear implant patients and candidates undergo the vaccination regimen advice of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to reduce the potential for contracting meningitis. 

MED-EL is fully committed to supporting and encouraging all efforts, such as this Public Health Notice, that emphasize the importance of full immunization for all cochlear implant recipients.  We endorse the important and necessary message that full vaccination of cochlear implant recipients should become a standard practice for healthcare in the US and Canada.

If you are a cochlear implant recipient or are considering a cochlear implant, please talk with your doctor about the meningitis vaccine.

Please find more information about this topic at the following websites:

• Vaccination recommendations are available on the CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/mening/cochlear/dis-cochlear-hcp.htm.
  
  
• Advice for cochlear implant users can be found on the FDA’s website at: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/medicaldevicesafety/atp/020606-cochlear.html