EDITORIAL PHARMACIST'S ROLE IN IMPROVING IMMUNIZATION STATUS AMONG PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

PREVENTION OF A DISEASE by vaccines has contributed im-mensely to decreased mortality and morbidity. Vaccines have completely eliminated smallpox and substantially de-creased the incidence of previously common infections, such as poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. Recently marketed Haemophilus in-fluenzae type b vaccine has already led to a decline in cas-es of bacterial meningitis in the US. It is of great concern, however, that fewer than 60 per-cent of American children receive the recommended doses of vaccines by 2 years of age. I All healthcare professionals must participate in changing current immunization prac-tices to protect our children. This editorial discusses the scope of this challenge and the potential roles of pharma-cists in improving the immunization status among infant