Virtual Immunization Connection Network (VICNetwork)

The Virtual Immunization Communication Network (VICNetwork) is a partnership between the United States-based professional health communicators' National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) and the California Immunization Coalition (CIC) - a statewide partnership of immunisation coalitions and private and public health organisations. It works through the website VICNetwork "to educate local and national health organizations, coalitions, and public health departments about effective immunization communication strategies, the importance of utilizing new media technologies to convey consistent immunization messages and current immunization issues."

To satisfy what the website describes as a "need for information and the ability to exchange new ideas and innovations", the network provides free webinars, e-newsletter, blogs, a resource section, and an events section, as well as an event calendar. With links to Facebook and Twitter to utilise new media and social media, its goal is to spread the word about the importance and safety of vaccinations.

For example, webinar topics include:

• "Adults Need Vaccines Too? Strategies to Increase Immunization Awareness and Vaccination Rates"
• "HPV [Human papillomavirus] Vaccine is Cancer Prevention… So what’s the hold up?"

The resources section, under "Communicate and Connect", lists direct links to organisation websites, including state resource organisations, national physicians organisations, projects like Text4Baby (see Related Summaries below), and vaccine news websites. The "Awareness and Prevention" section lists online courses, tools, and commentary documents, for example: "Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases 2011 Ten-Module Series". "The Virtual Voice" section archives the network's e-newsletters.