The 2015 recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedule has been approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The 2015 format is similar to last year and includes a single schedule for people birth through 18 years of age. The yellow bars indicate the recommended age range for all children and contain a notation indicating the recommended dose number by age. The green bars indicate the recommended catch-up age. The purple bars designate the range for immunization for certain groups at high risk. The combined green and purple bar indicates the recommended age when hepatitis A vaccine catch-up is recommended. The white boxes show the ages when a vaccine is not recommended routinely. The catch-up schedule offers recommendations for children and adolescents 4 months through 18 years of age who start late or are >1 month behind.
Unlike previous years, the immunization schedules will not be published in Pediatrics. Readers are referred to the American Academy of Pediatrics Web site (http://redbook.solutions.aap.org/SS/Immunization_Schedules.aspx) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/child-adolescent.html) for the most recent edition of the immunization schedule, the full set of footnotes, and the catch-up schedule. This will ensure providers have the most current recommendations. The online schedule will be updated when new vaccines are licensed and recommendations for use are established and when a change is made to a recommendation for use of an existing vaccine. In addition, the Web site includes tables (job-aids) to assist in clarification of recommended use of Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcal, and pertussis-containing vaccines as a function of age, the number of doses previously administered, and the time interval since the last dose.
Footnotes contain recommendations for routine vaccination, for catch-up vaccination, and for vaccination of children and adolescents with high-risk conditions or in special circumstances. A parent-friendly vaccine schedule for children and adolescents is available at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/index.html.
An adult immunization schedule is published in February of each year and is available at www.cdc.gov/vaccines.
These schedules are revised annually to reflect current recommendations for the use of vaccines licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration and include the following specific changes from last year:
A column has been added to the immunization schedule at 2 through 8 years to emphasize the availability of inactivated influenza vaccine and live-attenuated influenza vaccine starting at 2 years of age, as well as the need for 2 doses for some children in this age group. A second column has been added at 9 through 10 years to indicate when 2 doses are no longer needed. In addition, a purple bar has been added for young children 6 months to less than 12 months traveling outside the United States and who will need measles mumps rubella vaccine.
Minor, clarifying word changes were made to the catch-up schedule with regard to Haemophilus influenzae type b; pneumococcal conjugate; tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis, adsorbed; hepatitis A; hepatitis B; polio; meningococcal; measles mumps rubella; and varicella vaccines.
Minor, simplifying word changes were made to the footnotes relating to diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. The influenza vaccine footnote was updated to reflect revised contraindications and precautions for the live-attenuated influenza vaccine. The meningococcal footnote underwent extensive revision to clarify appropriate dosing schedules for high-risk infants and children for the 3 different vaccines.
Clinically significant adverse events that follow immunization should be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. Guidance about how to obtain and complete a Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System form can be obtained at www.vaers.hhs.gov or by calling 800-822-7967. Additional information can be found in the Red Book and at Red Book Online (http://redbook.solutions.aap.org/redbook.aspx). Statements from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that contain details of recommendations for individual vaccines, including recommendations for children with high-risk conditions, are available at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/ACIP-list.htm. Information on new vaccine releases, vaccine supplies, and interim recommendations resulting from vaccine shortages and statements on specific vaccines can be found at http://redbook.solutions.aap.org/vaccine-status.aspx?gbosid=167073 and www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/ACIP-list.htm.
Committee on Infectious Diseases, 2014–2015
Carrie L. Byington, MD, FAAP, Chairperson
Yvonne A. Maldonado, MD, FAAP, Vice Chairperson
Elizabeth D. Barnett MD, FAAP
H. Dele Davies, MD, FAAP
Kathryn M. Edwards, MD, FAAP
Mary Anne Jackson, MD, FAAP, Red Book Associate Editor
Dennis L. Murray, MD, FAAP
Ann-Christine Nyquist, MD, FAAP
Mobeen H. Rathore, MD, FAAP
Mark H. Sawyer, MD, FAAP
Gordon E. Schutze, MD, FAAP
Rodney E. Willoughby, MD, FAAP
Theoklis E. Zaoutis, MD, FAAP
Ex Officio
Henry H. Bernstein, DO, FAAP – Red Book Online Associate Editor
Michael T. Brady, MD, FAAP, Red Book Associate Editor
David W. Kimberlin, MD, FAAP – Red Book Editor
Sarah S. Long, MD, FAAP – Red Book Associate Editor
H. Cody Meissner, MD, FAAP – Visual Red Book Associate Editor
Liaisons
Doug Campos-Outcalt, MD, MPA – American Academy of Family Physicians
Karen M. Farizo, MD – US Food and Drug Administration
Marc A. Fischer, MD, FAAP – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Bruce G. Gellin, MD – National Vaccine Program Office
Richard L. Gorman, MD, FAAP – National Institutes of Health
Lucia H. Lee, MD, FAAP – US Food and Drug Administration
R. Douglas Pratt, MD – US Food and Drug Administration
Joan L. Robinson, MD – Canadian Paediatric Society
Marco Aurelio Palazzi Safadi, MD – Sociedad Latinoamericana de Infectologia Pediatrica (SLIPE)
Jane F. Seward, MBBS, MPH, FAAP – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Jeffrey R. Starke, MD, FAAP – American Thoracic Society
Geoffrey R. Simon, MD, FAAP – Committee on Practice Ambulatory Medicine
Tina Q. Tan, MD, FAAP – Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Staff
Jennifer M. Frantz, MPH
This document is copyrighted and is property of the American Academy of Pediatrics and its Board of Directors. All authors have filed conflict of interest statements with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Any conflicts have been resolved through a process approved by the Board of Directors. The American Academy of Pediatrics has neither solicited nor accepted any commercial involvement in the development of the content of this publication.
Policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics benefit from expertise and resources of liaisons and internal (AAP) and external reviewers. However, policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics may not reflect the views of the liaisons or the organizations or government agencies that they represent.
The guidance in this statement does not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate.
All policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics automatically expire 5 years after publication unless reaffirmed, revised, or retired at or before that time.