SINCE MARCH 21, 1988, health-care providers who administer certain vaccines and toxoids are required by law to record permanently certain information and to report certain events.* The vaccines and toxoids to which these requirements apply follow: diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine (DTP); pertussis vaccine (P); measles, mumps, and rubella single-antigen vaccines and combination vaccines (MMR, MR); diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (DT); tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (Td); tetanus toxoid (T); poliovirus vaccine live, oral (OPV); and poliovirus vaccine inactivated (IPV). The requirements also will apply to DTP combined with inactivated poliovirus vaccine (DTP/Polio combined) if it becomes available.
Requirements for Recording
Specifically, all health-care providers who administer one or more of these vaccines or toxoids are required to ensure that there is recorded in the vaccine recipient's permanent medical record (or in a permanent office log or file) the date the vaccine was administered, the manufacturer and lot number