FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 28, 2025
Media Contact:
Julie Hirschhorn
AAFP Public Relations
jhirschhorn@aafp.org
Statement attributed to:
Jen Brull, MD, FAAFP
President, American Academy of Family Physicians
“Vaccines are safe, effective and save lives. The COVID-19 vaccine has significantly reduced hospitalizations and deaths across all age groups. The recent announcement of intended changes to the recommended immunization schedule for children and pregnant persons circumvents the established process for vaccine review and recommendations and, if fully implemented, would be a dangerous setback. We protect public health by allowing trusted experts with backgrounds in science and medicine to review data and make recommendations for what vaccines should be included in the Vaccines for Children program and in recommendations for other groups – not by allowing non-clinicians to make unilateral decisions.
Vaccines play a crucial role in protecting vulnerable groups, especially children and pregnant patients and their caregivers, against disease. These changes would also undermine access, impact insurance coverage and impede progress made toward improving public health. We urge patients to talk with their family physician and make decisions based on trusted, evidence-based care.”
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About the American Academy of Family Physicians
The AAFP is the largest national association of family physicians, representing 128,300 physicians and medical students. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on impactful care for people of all ages, races and genders across all medical conditions. The AAFP supports every stage of a family physician's career and provides evidence-based resources, advocacy and community to empower family medicine. To learn more, visit aafp.org. For information about health care, medical conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s patient education website, familydoctor.org.