Registries: An essential tool for maximising the health benefits of immunisation in the 21st century

The variety of available vaccines and the intricacy of immunisation schedules has increased progressively over recent decades. Consequently immunisation programmes have become more complex with the addition of different vaccines such as those against Haemophilus influenzae type b infections, meningococcal and pneumococcal disease, human papilloma virus, rotavirus, varicella and herpes zoster to vaccination programmes, and their extension to cover the whole life course. At the same time, the survival of people with chronic and immuncompromising conditions with higher susceptibility to infectious diseases and needing specialist advice on vaccine indications and contra-indications has also increased. It is therefore not surprising that the need has also grown for better data on when, where and who received which vaccine.