Federal health leaders have excluded major medical organizations including the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American College of Physicians (ACP), and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), from participating in working groups under the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). These groups historically provided non-voting liaisons, providing critical clinical insight and peer-reviewed evidence to shape national immunization guidelines.
This decision follows Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s dismissal of all 17 ACIP members in June, and appointed a new slate of advisors. Critics, including former ACIP members and public health officials, have expressed concern that the new appointees lack adequate expertise and hold views that may undermine the scientific integrity of federal vaccine guidance. The excluded organizations issued a joint statement condemning the move as “irresponsible, dangerous … and further undermining public and clinician trust in vaccines.”
Former ACIP members published a critique in the New England Journal of Medicine, warning that removing expert oversight strips away scientific transparency and credibility in national immunization guidance. Without input from major clinical bodies, future federal vaccine recommendations may diverge significantly from accepted clinical practices, potentially complicating provider counseling, insurance coverage, and public health messaging.
In response to these shifts, several states and medical societies are stepping forward with independent vaccine guidance to fill perceived voids in federal policy. These efforts aim to preserve evidence-based vaccine recommendations and ensure continued patient access, particularly in states that oppose the federal changes. This state-level approach, however, could lead to inconsistent standards, placing additional burdens on providers and healthcare systems to closely monitor vaccine policy at both federal and state levels.