Top Medical Organizations Kicked Out of CDC Vaccine Recommendations Process Call Decision 'Dangerous'

In a move that has sparked widespread concern, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has excluded several of the nation’s most respected medical organizations from the vaccine recommendation process. These groups, including the American Medical Association (AMA), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), were notified via email that their experts would no longer be allowed to participate in the workgroups that support the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

According to a joint statement released by the affected organizations, the decision has been characterized as “deeply disappointing and alarming.” The groups expressed concern that the CDC has labeled them as “biased” and therefore barred them from reviewing scientific data and shaping vaccine recommendations that have historically ensured the safety and effectiveness of the U.S. vaccination program.

These workgroups have long played a crucial role in evaluating data from vaccine manufacturers and the CDC, and formulating proposals for vaccination recommendations to be presented to the full ACIP committee. The organizations emphasized that the inclusion of medical liaisons was instrumental in ensuring unbiased input and building trust in the recommendations.

“To remove our deep medical expertise from this vital and once transparent process is irresponsible, dangerous to our nation's health, and will further undermine public and clinician trust in vaccines,” the statement said. The statement was also joined by the American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Geriatrics Society, American Osteopathic Association, and National Medical Association.

Dr. William Schaffner, a vaccine expert from Vanderbilt University and a long-time participant in ACIP workgroups, expressed concern over the decision. He warned that the move could lead to a “confusing fragmentation of vaccine guidance,” where patients might receive conflicting information from the government and their doctors.

“The professional groups provide input about what might and might not be possible for doctors to implement,” Schaffner explained. “It also helped build respect and trust in ACIP recommendations, having the buy-in of respected medical organizations.”

Workgroup members are rigorously vetted for conflicts of interest, ensuring that individuals with financial ties to vaccine manufacturers are not placed on relevant committees. This practice, Schaffner noted, has been a cornerstone of the ACIP process for decades.

This is not the first major change to ACIP under the current administration. In June, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed all 17 members of the panel and replaced them with a new group of advisers, many of whom have ties to vaccine skepticism.

Last week, the former ACIP members published a commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine, criticizing the changes as a “seismic disruption” to the vaccine recommendation process in the U.S. under Kennedy’s leadership.

The exclusion of these medical organizations from the CDC’s vaccine guidance process has raised serious questions about the future of vaccine policy in the U.S. and the potential consequences for public health. Many experts are calling for a reconsideration of the decision to ensure that the process remains transparent, evidence-based, and trusted by both the public and healthcare professionals.