Progress on the childhood immunization initiative

President Clinton submitted the Comprehensive Childhood Immunization Initiative Act to Congress in April 1993. The objective of the legislation is to protect all children in the United States by their second birthday against nine vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. As originally introduced in the Congress the initiative called for (a) Federal purchase and distribution of recommended childhood vaccines for all children, (b) improving the public health capacity to deliver vaccine, (c) establishing a State-based national immunization information and tracking system, and (d) expanding immunization education and mobilization efforts directed to health care providers and parents. The authors review the progress and current status of the initiative, updating a previous progress report. The President's legislative proposal, modified by Congress, was enacted August 10, 1993. Several key provisions of the original legislation, deferred by Congress, may be incorporated in subsequent legislation or implemented through existing authorities. Therefore, the evolving framework for the initiative derives not from a single legislative mandate, but expands current immunization program activities and adds important new and complementary activities. As mentioned in the original title of the legislation, this is a "comprehensive" effort to address the problem of under-immunization in U.S. preschool children.