Myth Buster: Patient immunization records are kept in a national vaccination registry

MYTH: Patient immunization records are kept in a national vaccination registry
FACT: While each state operates its own vaccination registry, there is no national registry that collects patient immunization records
 
There is a growing understanding of the important role that vaccination registries – or immunization information systems (IIS) – can provide to health care providers and public health officials in monitoring immunization rates and ensuring that individuals have all recommended vaccinations.  To meet these goals, vaccination registries keep a record of a patient’s immunizations. One common misperception among parents and others who may have concerns about sharing private health information with a vaccine registry is that vaccination data is collected on a national level and stored in a national database. However, the United States does not have a national IIS. Instead, each state operates its own registry, and maintains its own set of laws and policies that govern submission of data to the registry, as well as access to the data in registry. To learn more about vaccine registries, please read our Myth Buster below.