The latest dismissal of all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices by the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies has stunned and saddened many people throughout the medical and public well being communities. The sudden removing and subsequent collection of eight new members, together with these identified to be vaccine critics, raises severe concern in regards to the continuity, credibility and scientific integrity of nationwide vaccine steering.
As the first physique advising the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention on vaccine schedules and security, ACIP performs an extremely vital position in defending the general public from infectious ailments. The removing of ACIP’s skilled, credentialed members — lots of whom had been appointed simply final yr, together with Dr. Helen Chu of Seattle — threatens to destabilize our present framework and probably delay vital decision-making, significantly contemplating the vital position vaccines play in safeguarding the well being of older adults and people with power situations.
The Washington chapter of the Submit-Acute and Lengthy-Time period Care Medical Affiliation, which I characterize, helps the response from PALTmed’s nationwide president, Dr. Sabine von Preyss-Friedman, who recently issued a statement expressing her concern over this resolution.
Additional, within the absence of clear, trusted federal steering, we consider that Washington state should act decisively to make sure stability and consistency with our state’s public well being coverage. We name on Gov. Bob Ferguson, the Washington State Division of Well being and our state legislators to:
- Make sure the Washington State Vaccine Advisory Committee affords a swift response to the destabilized federal steering program to make sure Washingtonians proceed to have entry to really useful vaccines, and their insurance coverage protection will present the preventative care that ensures optimum well being outcomes for our neighborhood.
- If the ACIP schedule modifications, VAC will reaffirm its dedication to evidence-based drugs by publicly endorsing an immunization schedule that’s scientifically vetted and maintains immediately’s rigorous requirements.
- Improve transparency and communication with well being care programs, particular person physicians, nurse practitioners, doctor associates, public well being professionals and the general public to take care of belief in our state’s vaccination packages.
Washingtonians need to know that their well being is being guided by science. Our state has lengthy been a pacesetter in public well being innovation and response, and we should always proceed to be proactive in outlining the perfect practices for our residents, particularly when confronted with instability in management on the nationwide degree.
As medical professionals who serve essentially the most susceptible medical populations in our neighborhood — older adults, these in long-term and acute care settings and people with power illness — PALTmed members realized firsthand the vital significance of clear, science-based medical steering and decisive management in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re asking our state leaders to behave now to safeguard the well being of our communities and supply constant, well-researched vaccine pointers that decrease disruptions that will probably endanger public well being. Our sufferers deserve nothing much less.
