College Students and Meningitis

Returning guest, Dr. Len Friedland, VP and Director, Scientific Affairs and Public Health, Vaccines at GSK discusses meningococcal disease, symptoms, and the 2 different types of vaccines available for MenACWY and MenB.  He is joined by meningitis survivor and GSK spokesperson, Jamie Schanbaum who shares her experience with meningococcal septicemia and who founded the J.A.M.I.E. Group (Joint Advocacy of Meningococcal Information & Education) in 2009 to help raise awareness about the impact of meningitis and the importance of vaccination.

Dr. Len Friedland is a practicing physician, vaccine researcher, and Vice President and Director, Scientific Affairs and Public Health, Vaccines at GSK. Dr. Friedland has held many positions in clinical research and development with GSK since 2003, specializing in infectious disease vaccination. Prior to his work at GSK, Dr. Friedland was Division Chief, Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Temple University School of Medicine. Dr. Friedland studied medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and conducted his residency in pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and his fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, also in Philadelphia. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, served as the Alternate Industry Representative to the FDA Vaccines and Related Biologics Product Advisory Committee, currently is a member of the FDA Allergenic Product Advisory Committee, and is currently the Industry Representative Member on the Department of Health and Human Services National Vaccine Advisory Committee. He has published over 50 peer reviewed articles as well as book chapters on healthcare and vaccination topics during his career. Dr. Friedland is involved in the development of vaccines for use in children, adolescents, adults, the elderly, and pregnancy; including vaccines for the prevention of flu, meningitis, whooping cough, rotavirus, hepatitis, measles, RSV and shingles.