The Comprehensive Childhood Immunization Act of 1993: Toward a More Rational Approach

About two fifths of two-year-old children in the United States have not received recommended immunizations on schedule1. These children, and a smaller number of older children, are susceptible to potentially devastating illnesses that can be prevented by vaccination, such as polio, measles, and Haemophilus influenzae type b infection. Congress has recently enacted a new plan, proposed by the Clinton administration, for the vaccination of children. Under this plan, the federal government will purchase vaccine and provide it at no charge to physicians for use in children insured by Medicaid and others who lack health insurance that covers immunizations. An . . .