[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 49 (Thursday, April 21, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E714-E715]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RUBELLA ELIMINATION ANNOUNCEMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DAVID E. PRICE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 20, 2005

  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, on March 21, 2005, the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that 
rubella, or German measles, ``is no longer a health threat in the 
United States.'' This great accomplishment is worthy of note, and 
indeed celebration.
  Just 40 years ago, the United States had come out of what we now 
believe will be the last epidemic of rubella in this country. The 1964-
1965 epidemic was estimated to have caused 12.5 million cases of 
rubella--including 20,000 cases of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), 
where children were born with birth defects such as cataracts, heart 
defects, hearing impairment, and developmental delay. As a result, this 
epidemic was responsible for more than 2,000 fetal deaths.

[[Page E715]]

  Unless a safe and effective vaccine was developed quickly, the United 
States expected another outbreak within the decade. In 1969, Merck 
developed the first vaccine for rubella, and millions of doses were 
distributed through our Nation's strong vaccination programs. 
Fortunately, another epidemic never occurred, and by the end of 1979 
only 12,000 cases of rubella were reported in the United States.
  According to the CDC, since 2001, the annual numbers of rubella cases 
have been the lowest ever recorded in the United States: 23 in 2001, 18 
in 2002, seven in 2003, and nine in 2004. Outside the United States, 
approximately 100,000 cases of CRS are reported each year. In our 
global society, diseases do not stop at the border. Therefore, we must 
remain vigilant, continue to invest in our vaccination system, and do 
our part to address the remaining international challenge.
  Our ability to protect our Nation's health from certain infectious 
diseases depends on a vibrant and innovative vaccine industry. As we 
emerge from recent vaccine shortages and exits from the vaccine 
business, we are fortunate that Merck, for example, has chosen to build 
new vaccine production capacity in Durham, North Carolina. The 
continued dedication and commitment of our vaccine manufacturers are 
essential if we are to make once-feared diseases a thing of the past.

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