By Chrissy Buteas, President & CEO, HealthCare Institute of New Jersey
Published by NorthJersey.com
June 21, 2026 ―When a parent takes their child to the pediatrician and asks, “Is my child up to date on vaccines?” they deserve a straight answer. They shouldn’t need a law degree, their own subscription to the latest medical journals or an affinity for perusing the federal register to get one.
And in New Jersey, thanks to legislation signed in January, they won’t need any of those things.
Until recently, New Jersey based its immunization guidance on recommendations from the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP. That approach anchored federal guidance in science, demonstrable medical evidence and a predictable framework. However, over the past year, national vaccine recommendations have shifted in ways that have left families and health care providers alike confused about what is covered, what is recommended and what children actually need.