In response to the recent policy change on the US childhood immunization schedule, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) led a joint letter to the Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Assistant Secretary for Health. Joined by more than 70 scientific and medical organizations, the effort reaffirms the organizations’ commitment to a transparent, evidence-based immunization policy process that protects the health of US children.
January 7, 2026
The Honorable Jim O’Neill
Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services / Acting CDC Director
Office of the Deputy Secretary
US Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20201 USA
The Honorable Brian Christine, MD
Assistant Secretary for Health
US Department of Health and Human Services
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201
Dear Deputy Secretary O’Neill and Admiral Christine,
We, the undersigned, appreciate the responsibility of federal health leadership in navigating complex and evolving public health challenges, and we write to share our perspective on recent decisions related to childhood immunization policy.
Comparisons between the US childhood immunization schedule and those of other countries, including Denmark, risk overlooking fundamental differences in population size, diversity, healthcare access, and infectious disease burden. These differences matter. US immunization policy must be guided by a transparent, evidence-based process and grounded in US epidemiology and real-world risk.
In the midst of a potentially severe respiratory season, it would be ill-advised to make changes that are not supported by clear evidence. Last influenza (flu) season, 289 US children died from influenza—the highest number in more than a decade. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) remains the leading cause of hospitalization among US infants.
Based on the best available scientific, we strongly urge continued recommendation of annual influenza vaccination for everyone age 6 months and older, as well as protection against RSV for all infants whose mothers did not receive an RSV vaccine during pregnancy.
Adopting an immunization schedule designed for another country—without accounting for the distinct epidemiology and risk profile of the United States—could place US children at increased risk for serious, preventable diseases.
We call on federal public health leaders to reaffirm their commitment to a transparent, evidence-based immunization policy process and to ensure that US childhood vaccination recommendations remain grounded in US data, expert consensus, and rigorous scientific review.
Reducing the number of recommended vaccines increases, rather than decreases, the risk of disease and death among children. Protecting children from preventable infectious diseases must remain the central priority.
We appreciate your consideration and our shared responsibility to protect children’s health through transparent, evidence-based decision-making.
Sincerely,
Alliance for Aging Research
American Academy of Pediatrics, Alaska Chapter
American Academy of Pediatrics, Utah Chapter
American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists
American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
American Families for Vaccines
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American Medical Association
American Medical Group Association (AMGA)
American Pharmacists Association
American Society for Meningitis Prevention
American Society for Microbiology
Arkansas Immunization Action Coalition (Immunize Arkansas)
Association for Professionals in Infection Control & Epidemiology (APIC)
Boost Oregon
California Immunization Coalition
Dane County Immunization Coalition
Delaware Academy of Medicine and Public Health
Emily Stillman Foundation
Emily’s Dash Foundation
EverThrive Illinois
Families Fighting Flu
Gerontological Society of America
Guardians of Youth
Hartford County Medical Association
Helping Hands Foundation
Hepatitis B Foundation
Idaho Immunization Coalition
Illinois Public Health Association
Immunization Coalition of Delaware
Immunize Colorado
Immunize Kansas Coalition
Immunize Oregon
Immunize Wisconsin
Indiana Immunization Coalition
Infectious Diseases Society of America
Johnson County Public Health
Kimberly Coffey Foundation
Louisiana Families for Vaccines
Massachusetts Families for Vaccines
Meningitis Research Foundation and Confederation of Meningitis Organisations
Minnesota Public Health Association
Mississippi Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Montana Families for Vaccines
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
National Kidney Foundation
National Minority Quality Forum
Nebraska Immunization Task Force.
New Mexico Immunization Coalition
NMAC
North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Northern Utah Immunization Coalition
Nurses Who Vaccinate
Okanogan County Public Health District
Oklahoma Alliance for Healthy Families
Ryan Martin Foundation
Snohomish County Health Department
Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA)
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
Tennessee Families for Vaccines
The Arizona Partnership for Immunization
The Immunization Partnership
The JAMIE Group
The Joshua Chamberlain Project
The PAMAH Foundation
The Task Force for Global Health
Vaccinate Your Family
Voices for Vaccines
Washington State Association of Local Public Health Officials
Washington State Public Health Association
Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics
The following organizations signed onto the letter after January 7:
Arizona Families for Vaccines
Immunization Alliance of Michigan
New Hampshire Families for Vaccines
Oregon Families for Vaccines
Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
About the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
Founded in 1973, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating and engaging the public, communities, and healthcare professionals about infectious diseases across the lifespan. NFID has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and has earned a Platinum transparency seal from Candid/GuideStar. For more information, and to access trusted science-based resources on immunization for both healthcare professionals and the public, visit www.nfid.org.
Contact: communications@nfid.org
