PIDS Statement on the September ACIP Meeting Recommendations

The September meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices gave short shrift to the extensive preparation and robust expertise that providers across all of healthcare had come to expect from these important policy meetings. As it unfolded over the past two days, the committee’s focus and attacks on our robust vaccine system instead only magnified misinformation and will harm all Americans, especially the most vulnerable. Discussions regarding Hepatitis B, MMRV and COVID-19 sought to sow doubt in the efficacy and safety of these life-saving vaccines. By themselves, those discussions will harm public confidence in vaccines while the voted recommendations will threaten the health of children, particularly infants, and fail to align with promoting health for all Americans.

In two days, this committee further undermined Americans’ confidence in life-saving vaccines and did so absent any new research or information necessitating their reexamination. The ACIP tabled its vote on the birth dose hepatitis B vaccine, removed the option for MMRV, and ultimately did not require a prescription for COVID-19 vaccination. The committee did change recommendations for COVID-19 to an individual decision-making process, removing strong recommendations for those at highest risk, including the elderly and those with comorbidities.

The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society stands in strong solidarity with the American Academy of Pediatrics vaccine schedule, which is founded in science and years of data. We strongly support hepatitis B vaccination at birth, the continued availability and coverage of MMRV, and access to COVID-19 vaccines for children 6 months to 23 months and those at high risk.