State Vaccine Law and Policy—A New Threat to Public Health
By Lawrence O. Gostin, JD; Dorit Reiss, PhD
Federal vaccine policy has drawn national attention. Yet state vaccine laws and policies remain far more determinative of childhood immunization coverage. Under long-standing constitutional principles, states retain primary police powers to protect the health and safety of their populations, including immunization requirements for school and childcare entry.1 For decades, all states have required childhood vaccinations, and studies consistently demonstrate that state statutory frameworks can improve immunization rates and lower incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases. Consequently, understanding the evolution and current trajectory of state-level vaccine requirements is essential for assessing the stability of the nation’s immunization infrastructure.