HHS Interrupts “The Most Cost-Beneficial Intervention In Healthcare”
Yesterday, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) removed all sitting members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the expert panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccine use.
While the groups such as the Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF) recognize the Secretary’s right to do this, the decision made just ahead of the upcoming respiratory virus season puts at risk chronically ill patients who rely on vaccines to fight respiratory virus infections.
ACIP is often critical in shaping public health strategies with its advisory recommendations. While the FDA-approved label remains the definitive, enforceable standard for how vaccines should be used in clinical practice, ACIP guidance often informs insurance company coverage, determines whether vaccines are free under the Affordable Care Act, provides healthcare provider protocols, and helps ensure vaccination campaign success , especially for vulnerable populations.
“Removing the entire committee without immediate replacement or clear guidance creates uncertainty when COVID-19, flu, and RSV are expected to circulate widely in the coming months,” said Robert, Popovian, PharmD, MS, GHLF’s Chief Science Policy Officer.
“Now is the time when the advisory committee makes its recommendations, and disruption in the advisory process could have profound implications for individuals with chronic illnesses who depend on timely vaccine access to protect themselves against these viruses.
“We support the need for ACIP to remain independent, and we recognize the Secretary’s authority to appoint new members,” Dr. Popovian added. “But removing all members without naming successors or offering a timeline to replace them so close to respiratory season could delay essential recommendations.
“Vaccines are the most cost-beneficial intervention in healthcare—we should do everything possible to maintain uninterrupted access to expert guidance including ensuring there is no gap in expert advice during this critical period for immunization planning,” Dr. Popovian added.
About GHLF
The Global Healthy Living Foundation is a U.S. based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, international organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses by advocating for improved access to health care through education, patient-centered clinical research, support, advocacy, and economic and policy research. GHLF is also a staunch advocate for vaccines. The Global Healthy Living Foundation is the parent organization of CreakyJoints®, the international, digital community for millions of people living with arthritis and their supporters worldwide who seek education, support, activism, and patient-centered research in English, Spanish, and French. In addition to arthritis and autoimmune disorders, GHLF supports dermatology, gastroenterology, neurology, cardiology, oncology, infectious disease, rare disease, and pulmonary patients through a host of different programs and activities which draw more than 700,000 patients a month to GHLF websites and create more than 10 million impressions a month on seven social media platforms. In 2024, GHLF had more than 1 million views and listens with its patient-centered audio-visual content, found on YouTube and podcast platforms. GHLF never asks the public for donations, receiving funding instead through governments, non-governmental organizations, foundations, industry, family foundations, and GHLF Co-Founder Louis Tharp. Visit www.ghlf.org for more information.
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Vaccines are the most cost-beneficial intervention in healthcare
Contacts
Louis Tharp
LTHARP@GHLF.ORG
www.ghlf.org