ACIP’s role in vaccine access and safety must be preserved

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Media Relations

Statement from APHA Executive Director Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, MD

The American Public Health Association applauds Representatives Frank Pallone and Kim Schrier for introducing the Family Vaccine Protection Act to codify the critical work of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which provides expert, evidence-based recommendations on the use of vaccines to protect the public from infectious diseases. 

To ensure ACIP is able to continue to serve the important role it plays in providing accurate scientific advice about vaccines to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is essential that the committee be able to function without political interference or other efforts to manipulate the committee’s important work. The committee meets regularly to examine the benefit of immunization compared to a set of risk factors such as exposure to the disease, the person’s age, gender, pregnancy status and other underlying diseases. The committee then makes a recommendation to the CDC Director who, in consultation with the committee and other scientific staff, makes a final guidance decision about a vaccine, with all stages of this review process publicly documented. This guidance creates a national vaccine standard used by the entire health sector and private or public entities like employers or educational systems to implement in accordance to state or local laws and regulations. This legislation will ensure that ACIP will continue to function in this manner and be free from political pressure or interference in its recommendations.

The work of ACIP is vital to ensure public trust in recommended vaccines. It is essential that the committee keep the trust of the public, the public health and health care professionals and our nation’s public policy decisionmakers. Codifying the work of the committee is a crucial step to ensuring the nation’s vaccine polices are based on the best available science and expertise. 

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The American Public Health Association champions optimal, equitable health and well-being for all. With our broad-based member community and 150-year perspective, we influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Learn more at www.apha.org.