PFID Comments to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)

Comments to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)

Meeting Docket ID: CDC-2025-0017

April 15-16, 2025

The Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease (PFID) strongly supports the convening of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and appreciates that this rescheduled meeting will provide a critical opportunity to confirm the importance of immunizations in the mission to make America healthier. The committee plays an essential role in ensuring Americans receive clear guidance on vaccines that protect against serious infectious diseases, and we look forward to engaging with the committee during its regularly scheduled meetings.

Rescheduling this ACIP meeting promptly demonstrates the transparency, accountability, and public health leadership to which the Trump Administration has committed. ACIP’s structure – grounded in real-world data, medical expertise, and public dialogue – reflects the thoughtful, evidence-driven process that should guide all major health decisions, as it has for the last 60-plus years.

We applaud the continued inclusion of independent experts with experience in the clinical development of vaccines, offering an invaluable perspective on the evaluation of clinical trial data to make science-based decisions on vaccination recommendations. We also recognize the robustness and rigor of the ACIP conflict of interest policy and urge its continuation as designed. The process of disclosure and recusal works to ensure that recommendations are transparent and objective, while providing the committee with access to the best experts available on diseases and vaccines under consideration.

The April agenda includes urgent topics such as meningococcal disease, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human papillomavirus (HPV), and the growing measles outbreak—which is currently affecting nearly half of U.S. states. These are precisely the kinds of issues that demand steady, expert-driven deliberation. As measles outbreaks continue and new infectious disease threats emerge, the credibility of ACIP and the regular cadence of its meetings will help ensure America’s vaccine policy is grounded in both science and common sense.

However, influenza is also a critically important topic that was removed from the agenda. Influenza should be a priority for ACIP as the U.S. is experiencing a “high severity” flu season across all age groups, resulting in 580,000 hospitalizations and 25,000 deaths. We urge you to include consideration of influenza and associated vaccines to protect the health of the American people. 

We remain committed to working alongside federal, state, and local partners to reduce the impact of infectious diseases and to ensure Americans benefit from the full promise of vaccines as a foundational pillar of our nation’s public health system. A strong public health infrastructure, supported in no small part by the ongoing work of ACIP, also strengthens our national security and sustains our leadership on the global stage.

We urge the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to continue supporting ACIP’s mission by swiftly acting on their recommendations, protecting the committee’s scientific integrity, and enabling the American people to access the information they need to make sound health decisions for themselves and their families.