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A recent study has revealed that 15.4% of U.S. children aged 0 to 35 months receive an invalid vaccine dose, meaning they receive a vaccine earlier or later than the recommended guidelines. This alarming finding, published on January 10 in Pediatrics, highlights the need for improved vaccine administration practices across the country.
The study, led by Alexandria N. Albers, M.P.H., from the University of Montana in Missoula, analyzed provider-verified vaccination records from the National Immunization Survey-Child between 2011 and 2020. Researchers sought to measure the prevalence of invalid doses, which are those administered outside the minimum and maximum age ranges specified by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), or the recommended intervals between doses.
Out of the 161,187 children included in the study, 22,209 (15.4%) were found to have received at least one invalid dose. The researchers found that 44.9% of these children still completed their vaccine series by receiving additional doses, despite the initial timing issues.
The study also examined the most common vaccines with invalid doses. The three-dose rotavirus vaccine had the highest prevalence of invalid doses, with 4.4% of children receiving the first dose after the recommended maximum age. Additionally, the odds of receiving an invalid vaccine dose were higher for children who moved across state lines, compared to those who remained in the same location, with a 1.5 times greater likelihood of invalid doses among these children.
While the percentage of children receiving invalid doses has decreased from 16.9% to 12.5% between 2011 and 2020, the study underscores the importance of addressing vaccine administration errors. To ensure that children are receiving their vaccinations at the appropriate times, the study authors recommend increased investment in immunization information systems and clinical support tools to assist providers in making accurate recommendations.
In an era when vaccine safety and effectiveness are paramount, improving vaccine administration protocols is critical to ensuring that children are protected from preventable diseases. The study emphasizes that a coordinated effort at the national and state levels is needed to reduce invalid vaccine doses and enhance vaccination accuracy for all children.
The full study, “Invalid Vaccine Doses Among Children Aged 0 to 35 Months: 2011 to 2020,” is available in the January 2025 issue of Pediatrics.
For more information, visit Pediatrics journal at DOI: 10.1542/peds.2024-068341.
