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

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 liaison’s 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 
Alana’s Foundation 
Alaska Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics 
Allies for Children 
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy 
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 Colleges of Pharmacy 
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 
Arkansas Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics 
Association of Departments of Family Medicine 
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 
Child Health Equity Center 
Children First 
Colorado Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics 
Colorado Children’s Campaign 
Colorado Chooses Vaccines 
Colorado Medical Society 
Colorado Nurses Association 
Delaware Academy of Medicine & Public Health 
District of Columbia Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics 
Emily Stillman Foundation 
Families Fighting Flu 
Families USA 
Family Voices NJ 
Florida Families for Vaccines 
Generations United 
Gerontological Society of America 
Georgia Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics 
GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality 
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 
Illinois Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics 
Illinois Public Health Association 
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 Association, Inc. 
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 
Mississippi Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics 
Missouri 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 
The JAMIE Group  
Trusted Messenger Program 
Utah Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics 
Vaccinate Your Family 
Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia 
Vermont Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics 
Vermont Public Health Association 
Virginia Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics 
Washington Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics 
West Virginia Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics 
Wisconsin Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics 
Wisconsin Families for Vaccines