Below is a news release on a policy statement appearing in the January issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). To receive the full text of this report, please contact the AAP Department of Communications.

For Release: January 2, 2007, 12:01 am (ET)

CHICAGO - The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued the recommended 2007 childhood immunization schedule for the United States. The statement was approved by the AAP, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

The 2007 schedule includes the following major changes:

• Oral rotavirus vaccine for universal administration to all infants at 2, 4, and 6 months of age.
• Universal administration of a second dose of varicella vaccine at 4 to 6 years of age.
• The age range for universal annual administration of influenza vaccine has been expanded to children 6 to 59 months of age and those in close contact with children 0 to 59 months of age.
• Human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) for girls 11 to 12 years of age, including catch-up immunization of girls 13 to 18 years of age. This vaccine prevents most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts, (AAP’s formal recommendation for HPV vaccine to be released soon.)

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.