FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 19, 2025
Media Contact:
pr@aafp.org
“The ACIP vote to no longer provide parents the choice of the combination MMRV vaccine for children under four years old could limit access to vaccination against preventable diseases and undermines efforts to protect vulnerable populations. Separate vaccination for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and varicella is currently recommended by the AAFP and CDC for children ages 12-47 months; however, the combined vaccination (MMRV) was available for those parents and caregivers who chose it. Removing the combined MMRV vaccine as an option for younger patients can have implications for out-of-pocket costs, parental choice and equity.
Further mismatches in recommendations and nuanced changes to the immunization schedule cause confusion and undermine trust in the public health system and in vaccines. The AAFP supports the MMRV vaccine remaining an option for children age 12-47 months if a parent or caregiver prefers after consulting with their physician.
To be clear, measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccination is still recommended, available and widely covered as two separate vaccines for all children ages 12 months and older, and the combined MMRV vaccine is still recommended for children 4-12 years old.
Vaccination remains essential to keep our children and communities healthy, and decades of data have shown that the benefits of immunization – reducing illness, hospitalization and death – far outweigh any risks.”
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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.