 January 2003 • Volume 9 • Number 1 |
The Academy has long had an immunization schedule for children. Now it has an immunization schedule for adults as well. Together, the two schedules provide a comprehensive summary of recommendations for prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases for Americans from birth until death.
Richard Clover, M.D., of Louisville, Ky., a member of the AAFP Commission on Clinical Policies and Research, chaired the group that developed the adults' schedule, which was endorsed by the AAFP, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
"This is a major step forward to balance the emphasis between child and adult immunizations," said Clover, noting that vaccinations are just as relevant for adults as they are for children. Having a schedule that can be posted in physicians' offices will hopefully improve vaccination rates, he said. Furthermore, part of the chart is age-based and the other part is disease-based to promote ease of use, he said.
ACIP will annually review and approve both immunization schedules. The adults' schedule can be accessed at http://www.aafp.org/adultimmunizations.xml.
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Copyright © 2003 by
American Academy of Family Physicians.