Professional medical societies continue to support evidence-based immunization schedules despite federal recommendations that physician groups say lack scientific support. Physicians can use AAP, AAFP, ACOG, ACP, guidance to handle evolving childhood and adult immunization recommendations.
Clinicians remain trusted vaccine information sources, making patient questions, collaborative discussions, and transparent evidence communication especially important. August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and this year the annual observance feels more urgent than ever.
On August 10, President Trump issued an executive order that would significantly alter the recommendations for childhood immunizations. The order called for a reduction in the number of recommended vaccinations and splitting the MMR vaccine into three separate shots, each given at a separate visit.
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Andrew Racine, MD, PhD, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, pointed out that the recommendations in the order are not based on gold-standard science and that there is no new evidence to support the changes to the immunization schedule. President Trump justified the changes with discredited claims that childhood vaccines and/or the timing of those vaccines contribute to autism.
Willie Underwood III, MD, MPH, president of the American Medical Association, said, “Extensive evidence from decades of scientific studies shows no link between vaccines and autism.” Jan Carney, MD, MPH, president of the American College of Physicians, added, “Vaccines save lives. They are safe and effective in preventing deaths, hospitalizations, and the spread of disease in communities.”
Although the executive order carries no legal weight, it creates confusion and a lack of trust among the public, Dr. Carney said. The situation will become even more concerning as states implement their own guidelines based on these recommendations.
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Kevin Ault, MD, a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Immunization, Infectious Disease, and Public Health Preparedness Expert Work Group, noted that one potential downside of states making their own schedules is that it might lead to a patchwork of insurance coverage and different rates of vaccine uptake. However, Dr. Ault sees a bright side, saying, “Many states have adopted evidence-based guidance and have resisted changes to pediatric vaccination schedules.”
In the midst of this chaos and misinformation, physicians can still access reliable resources to guide them when advising their patients. The American College of Physicians published a statement supporting vaccine schedules from the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
The statement said, “In the absence of a scientifically valid federal vaccine guideline process, the American College of Physicians supports evidence-based immunization schedules developed by our partner US medical societies.” Dr. Ault, who previously served on the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, noted that there has been excellent cooperation between these professional organizations.
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Despite the message from the White House, the public still places its trust in their doctors. Dr. Carney said surveys repeatedly find that people look to their physicians for advice as well as for information about the science behind vaccines – and the evidence for them.
Dr. Carney’s advice to physicians is to remember that they are a trusted source of advice on vaccines. “Your patients and the general public listen to you,” she said. As the situation continues to evolve, it’s essential for physicians to stay informed and provide evidence-based guidance to their patients.
The American Medical Association and other professional organizations will continue to support evidence-based immunization schedules.