Due to the work of BPSOS, the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Foundation, and other coalition members, on Friday, November 13, 2009, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced new immunization regulations for immigrants. The new guidelines reverse the previous regulations that made the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended vaccines for the US public mandatory for immigrants and for those adjusting status.

The coalition of concerned immigrant rights groups to oppose the mandate that women and girls immigrating to the United States had to be vaccinated with Gardasil (and approved HPV vaccine). When Gardasil was recommended for the general public, it became mandatory for all women and girl ages 11 to 26 to be vaccinated. This mandate was prohibitively expensive and created an extra burden on women and girls immigrating to the US or adjusting to Legal Permanent Resident. The vaccines cost a minimum of $360 dollars for the cycle. This is on top of all of the other fees for paperwork and would only affect women and girls.

“This is important change in policy for immigrating women and girls,” said Lisa Lynn Chapman, BPSOS’ Director of Professional Services. “The previous policy made the immunizations prohibitive for many families. Although the intention of the policy was good, it unintentionally became discriminatory and overly burdensome.”

According to the new regulations, the vaccine must be recommended the ACIP for the general U.S. population AND must protect against a disease to cause on outbreak or protect against a disease that has been eliminated in the US or in the process of being eliminated.

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