WASHINGTON: Under a dramatic, $1.1 billion program unveiled recently by the Clinton administration, every American child would get free vaccines and the government would help parents. Keep track of when their child’s next shots are due.
Beginning in 1995, if Congress approves, the government would buy vaccines from manufacturers and distribute them to private doctors and public health clinics, It would help states set up registries to track each child’s immunization history from birth and notify parents whose children were behind in their shots.
The program was hailed by child advocates, long concerned that only about 54% of U.S. 2yrolds has received the complete set of vaccines; they are vaccines against measles, mumps, rubella diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, hepatitis B and haemophilus influenza b.
The White House said the cost of fully vaccinating one child had soared in the private sector from $ 23.29 in 1982 to $244.10 in 1992. The cost of vaccines bought for public programs has jumped from $6, 69 to $122.28.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 9, 1993
