IMPACT after 17 years: Lessons learned about successful networking.

The Canadian Immunization Monitoring Program, ACTive (IMPACT) ranks as one of the Canadian Paediatric Society’s (CPS) most innovative and productive activities [1]; it recently marked its 17th year of operation and logged its 18,000th case report. I have had the privilege of being co-leader from the outset, first with Dr Ron Gold and then with Dr Scott Halperin. In January 2008, Dr Wendy Vaudry was elected to replace me in the co-leadership role and she, along with Scott Halperin, will ensure the project’s continuing success. I will remain involved as the data centre chief. The role of project historian is also my reluctant burden, so I would like to make a few personal observations about IMPACT and the CPS’s role in its success.