Free immunizations are widely available, and research suggests that convenience is a larger barrier than cost. Immunization registries threaten civil liberties Proponents of immunization registries tend to be proponents of government controlled health care. They realize that a computerized individual health information is a key to managing a government system in which the emphasis is on population health and individual well being takes second place to cost control. As it is politically difficult to argue against any measure that would prevent children from getting sick, they use vaccine registries as a strategy for getting state legislatures to authorize computerized information systems designed to store individual records. Once begun, the vaccine registries have been transformed into statewide tracking systems with links to federal databases.
Data come with individual identifiers.
Low-income women have data on pelvic exams, breast exams, PAP smears, and mammograms stored separately, again with unique identifiers. WIC participants have unique identifiers that the state uses to collect information on a person's demographics, program participation, language, education, and nutrition. Such information has been used by state officials to create files to track individual behavior and birth outcomes for participants in a Stop Smoking in Pregnancy Program and to study birth outcomes for women on Medicaid. Most of those involved have not been asked whether they wish to be used as research subjects. In Massachusetts, the immunization registry has been linked to WIC program records and schools.