Canadian Consensus Conference on a National Immunization Records System.

The Consensus Conference followed up on the recommendations of the 1996 Canadian National Immunization Conference which stated that “an immunization tracking system is urgently needed in Canada”. The participants agreed that Canada should establish comprehensive immunization registries in all provinces and territories within 5 years. Currently, only Prince Edward Island, Ontario, and Manitoba have operational, systematic, province-wide immunization tracking systems. Therefore, it was felt that there was no better time to launch a Canadian National Immunization Records System initiative designed to support the development and integration of immunization registries. The overall goal is that immunization registries will facilitate the control and elimination of vaccine preventable diseases in Canada by ensuring the provision of information and knowledge necessary to achieve the best possible immunization coverage for Canadians. The objectives of immunization registries were identified as follows.