[Immunization schedules in Spain in 2002. When will they be unified?].

In the middle of the year 2002, there still are distinct calendars for vaccinations in Spain. The Ministry of Health and Consumption proposed on calendar for 2001, the Spanish Association of Pediatrics another, quite different, and the 17 Autonomous Communities each recommend their own calendar, even though there are numerous similarities among these. There is no justifiable reason for this disparity and it does not seem reasonable that these circumstances, which create tremendous confusion and many problems among the general population as well as health professionals, should continue for any longer. Infectious diseases susceptible to vaccination have some almost identical clinical epidemiological traits in all the geographical regions in our country and the germs responsible for these disease behave similarly in all areas. This article reviews the epidemiological situation of those diseases which are included in the distinct immunization programs, and others not yet included, and it carries out a critical analysis of the recommendations which these programs make regarding their prevention.