Rhode Island General Laws Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-1-44. Routine childhood and adult immunization vaccines

(a) The department of health shall include in the department's immunization program those vaccines for routine childhood immunization as recommended by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and for routine adult immunization as recommended by the ACIP, to the extent permitted by available funds.  The immunization program includes administrative and quality assurance services and the Rhode Island Child and Adult Immunization Registry (RICAIR), a confidential, computerized information system that is used to manage statewide immunizations, for all persons in Rhode Island.

(b) The director of the department of health shall appoint an advisory committee that will be convened after the ACIP makes a recommendation regarding immunization.  The committee will review the ACIP recommendations for the state;  assess the vaccine cost and feasibility;  and advise the director of health and the office of the health insurance commissioner regarding insurers and providers acting on the ACIP immunization recommendation.  All recommendations will be posted on the department of health website.  The advisory committee membership shall include, but not be limited to, a primary care provider, pharmacist, representatives of the nursing home industry, the home healthcare industry and major insurers.

(c) For the purpose of protecting patients' information, all personally-identifiable information obtained pursuant to this section shall be subject to the privacy protections of chapter 37.3 of title 5 and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-191 (HIPAA), as amended.