More Than 130 Organizations Express Concern Over Changes to CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Charter

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: [email protected], Lisa Robinson, [email protected] or Alex Hulvalchick, [email protected]

On April 9, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a revised Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) charter. 

Today, more than 130 organizations issued the following statement in response to the proposed changes: 

“The 130+ undersigned medical, nursing, public health, and patient advocacy groups express our deep concern about the revised charter for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) published on April 9. The new charter substantively changes the focus of the committee and its membership structure, which could undermine confidence in vaccines and ultimately affect access to immunizations. 

“ACIP was established to provide evidence-based guidance on the use of immunizations to prevent diseases, but the revised charter paves the way for an unqualified committee to promote misleading narratives about vaccine safety. For decades, the committee held transparent discussions about vaccines based on patterns of disease, clinical trial and real-world data on efficacy and safety, and cost and implementation considerations. The new charter downplays the value of immunizations for both communities and individuals.  

“The charter adds several new organizations as liaison members to the committee who are known for sharing false information, including the debunked link between vaccines and autism. A liaisons’ role is typically to offer clinical and scientific expertise on implementing new or updated immunization recommendations in real-world settings, including assessing potential risks, and to ensure alignment on guidance.  

“Taken together, these revisions will alter the focus of ACIP, potentially jeopardizing access to life-saving vaccines for Americans of all ages. ACIP’s recommendations are tied to 13 federal statutes and define vaccine coverage for Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, the Veteran’s Health Administration, and the Vaccines for Children program, which covers half of America’s children and ensures access to vaccines, regardless of their families’ ability to pay. The proper functioning of ACIP is too important to allow the committee to be used to sow confusion and distrust in immunizations. 

“As medical, public health and patient advocacy organizations, we call for an ACIP charter that correctly and comprehensively evaluates scientific data and emphasizes weighing the benefits and risks of vaccines and reducing morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases. The ACIP charter should not be an ideological document and must support a rigorous method for evaluating evidence and require a balanced representation for its voting members and liaison organizations.”

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AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges)
Alabama Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Alanis Foundation
Alaska Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Allies for Children
American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
America’s Physician Groups
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
American Association of Public Health Physicians
American College of Chest Physicians
American College of Nurse-Midwives
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American College of Physicians
American College of Preventive Medicine
American College of Rheumatology
American Gastroenterological Association
American Lung Association
American Medical Association
American Osteopathic Association
American Pharmacists Association
American Public Health Association
American Society for Meningitis Prevention
American Society for Microbiology
American Society of Hematology
American Society of Pediatric Nephrology
Arizona Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Autism Science Foundation
Autistic People of Color
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
California Immunization Coalition
California Medical Association
Caregiver Action Network
CDC Alumni and Friends
Children First
Colorado Children’s Campaign
Colorado Chooses Vaccines
Colorado Medical Society
Colorado Nurses Association
Delaware Academy of Medicine & Public Health
Emily Stillman Foundation
Families Fighting Flu
Families USA
Family Voices NJ
Florida Families for Vaccines
Generations United
Georgia Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Hawaii – American Nurses Association
Hawaii Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
HealthyWomen
Henry and Stark County Health Department
Hepatitis B Foundation
Idaho Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Idaho Immunization Coalition
Immunization Coalition of Delaware
Immunize Kansas Coalition
Immunize Wisconsin
Indiana Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Indiana Department of Health
Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology
Infectious Diseases Society of America
International Vaccine Access Center
Iowa Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Kansas Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Kentucky Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Kimberly Coffey Foundation
Louisiana Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Louisiana Families for Vaccines
Lupus and Allied Diseases Alliance
Maine Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Maine Families for Vaccines
March of Dimes
Massachusetts Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Massachusetts Families for Vaccines
Maternity Care Coalition
Michigan Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Minnesota Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Montana Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Montana Families for Vaccines
National Association of Hispanic Nurses
National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
National Coalition for Infant Health
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
National Hispanic Health Foundation
National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA)
National Network of Public Health Institutes
National Organization for Dental Immunizers
National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR)
New Hampshire Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
New Hampshire Families for Vaccines
NAPCRG
NICU Parent Network
NMAC
North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
North Carolina Pediatric Society
North Dakota Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Northern Utah Immunization Coalition
Nurses for America
Ohio Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society of America
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner House Calls
Pediatric Pharmacy Association
Pennsylvania Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Pennsylvania Immunization Coalition
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children
PREEMIEWORLD FOUNDATION, INC.
Pro-Vaccine Legal Alliance
Protect Our Care
Public Health Association of Nebraska
Public Health Law Center
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Society for PAs in Pediatrics
Society of Critical Care Medicine
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
South Carolina Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
South Carolina Families for Vaccines
South Dakota Families for Vaccines
SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
Tennessee Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Tennessee Families for Vaccines
Utah Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Vaccinate Your Family
Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Vermont Public Health Association
Washington Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
West Virginia Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Wisconsin Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Wisconsin Families for Vaccines

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