http://www.iom.edu/IOM/IOMHome.nsf/Pages/hepatitis+b
March 1, 2002
Institute of Medicine
Immunization Safety Review

SUSPECTED MECHANISMS INVOLVED IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND PUTATIVE ROLE OF HEPATITIS B VACCINE IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
One of the issues that will be considered during the Immunization Safety
Review
Committee's upcoming meeting on March 11, 2002 is the current knowledge
regarding pathophysiological mechanisms involved in multiple sclerosis,
including the possible role of hepatitis B vaccine in these mechanisms. As
one of its data gathering activities, the committee asked Drs. Emmanuelle
Waubant and Olaf Stuve from the University of California at San Francisco Multiple
Sclerosis Center to write a background paper on this topic.  Their
background paper is available on our website at www.iom.edu/imsafety. The committee
welcomes comments on this material.

The committee wishes to note that the paper represents the views of Drs.
Emanuelle Waubant and Olaf Stuve and does NOT necessarily reflect the
conclusions the committee will draw when it deliberates at its March
meeting.
The committee further notes that this paper is one source of many that it
will review in the course of its deliberations.

Comments on this material can be emailed to the committee at
imsafety@nas.edu.
It is most helpful if comments are received by March 7, 2002.  COMMENTS WILL
BE
PART OF THE PUBLIC ACCESS FILE FOR THIS PROJECT AND PERSONAL IDENTIFIERS
WILL BE
INCLUDED.