(Washington, D.C.) The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) supports the previous childhood and adolescent vaccine schedule and the strength of prior recommendations. Vaccines are safe and effective at preventing disease and serious complications. As with all medical care, vaccination has always been and should always remain a choice made through informed discussion between patients, parents and their clinicians. Government recommendations are just that: guidance intended to reflect the best available science and to support providers and families in making informed decisions.
Unfortunately, the recent changes are based on a misaligned rationale of aligning the U.S. schedule to those of other high-income countries without consideration of differences in context or health systems. ACPM therefore recommends clinicians and families continue to follow the prior evidence-based recommendations to best protect children and communities from vaccine-preventable disease.
###
For more information or to speak with an ACPM representative, please contact media@acpm.org
About ACPM:
The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) is a professional medical society representing approximately 2,000 physicians, dedicated to the practice of preventive medicine; improving the health and quality of life of individuals, families, communities, and populations through disease prevention and health promotion. For more information about ACPM, visit www.acpm.org.
