NHC Letter to HHS re: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) (PDF)
June 10, 2025
The Honorable Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Secretary
Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20201
Dear Secretary Kennedy,
On behalf of the National Health Council (NHC), which represents people with chronic conditions and their family caregivers, I write to express concern and disappointment regarding the recent decision outlined in your June 9 op-ed in The Wall Street Journal to dismiss and retire all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
The NHC, founded by and for patient organizations, brings together a broad coalition of more than 180 national health-related organizations and businesses to forge consensus and drive patient-centered health policy. Together, we work to promote access to affordable, high-value, equitable, and sustainable health care.
ACIP is one of the most trusted and scientifically grounded advisory bodies within the federal health ecosystem. Its continuity and expertise are essential to ensuring that vaccine recommendations are based on the best available science-based evidence. These recommendations inform immunization practices nationwide, guiding regulatory frameworks, clinical protocols, and payer policies that determine patient access to critical preventive services.
The decision to remove and replace the entire ACIP membership risks undermining public confidence and destabilizing a process that patients and caregivers, especially those with chronic illnesses, disabilities, and compromised immune systems, rely on for protection against infectious diseases. Vaccination schedules must be grounded in scientific evidence, developed transparently, and implemented consistently. Disruptions to this process could erode public trust, deter vaccine uptake, and exacerbate hesitancy, particularly in communities already facing structural barriers to care.
Moreover, insurers and public health programs depend on ACIP’s guidance to make timely, consistent coverage decisions. Weakening this advisory function could delay access to recommended vaccines, jeopardize public health, and put the most medically vulnerable at heightened risk.
We urge the Department of Health and Human Services to reaffirm its commitment to a science-based, stable advisory process for immunization policy. Ensuring that ACIP is composed of qualified experts, selected through transparent vetting and free from conflicts of interest, is critical to protecting both public health and the integrity of our nation’s immunization infrastructure.
Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. Please contact Kimberly Beer, Senior Vice President, Policy & External Affairs at kbeer@nhcouncil.org or 202-557-9146 with any questions or request for additional information.
Sincerely,
Randall L. Rutta
Chief Executive Officer
NHC Letter to HHS re: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) (PDF)
June 10, 2025
The Honorable Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Secretary
Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20201
Dear Secretary Kennedy,
On behalf of the National Health Council (NHC), which represents people with chronic conditions and their family caregivers, I write to express concern and disappointment regarding the recent decision outlined in your June 9 op-ed in The Wall Street Journal to dismiss and retire all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
The NHC, founded by and for patient organizations, brings together a broad coalition of more than 180 national health-related organizations and businesses to forge consensus and drive patient-centered health policy. Together, we work to promote access to affordable, high-value, equitable, and sustainable health care.
ACIP is one of the most trusted and scientifically grounded advisory bodies within the federal health ecosystem. Its continuity and expertise are essential to ensuring that vaccine recommendations are based on the best available science-based evidence. These recommendations inform immunization practices nationwide, guiding regulatory frameworks, clinical protocols, and payer policies that determine patient access to critical preventive services.
The decision to remove and replace the entire ACIP membership risks undermining public confidence and destabilizing a process that patients and caregivers, especially those with chronic illnesses, disabilities, and compromised immune systems, rely on for protection against infectious diseases. Vaccination schedules must be grounded in scientific evidence, developed transparently, and implemented consistently. Disruptions to this process could erode public trust, deter vaccine uptake, and exacerbate hesitancy, particularly in communities already facing structural barriers to care.
Moreover, insurers and public health programs depend on ACIP’s guidance to make timely, consistent coverage decisions. Weakening this advisory function could delay access to recommended vaccines, jeopardize public health, and put the most medically vulnerable at heightened risk.
We urge the Department of Health and Human Services to reaffirm its commitment to a science-based, stable advisory process for immunization policy. Ensuring that ACIP is composed of qualified experts, selected through transparent vetting and free from conflicts of interest, is critical to protecting both public health and the integrity of our nation’s immunization infrastructure.
Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. Please contact Kimberly Beer, Senior Vice President, Policy & External Affairs at kbeer@nhcouncil.org or 202-557-9146 with any questions or request for additional information.
Sincerely,
Randall L. Rutta
Chief Executive Officer