ACOG Withdraws from CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices

Washington, D.C.-The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) today announced its withdrawal as a liaison organization from CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), citing concerns about recent changes that undermine the committee's scientific integrity and evidence-based approach to vaccine policy.

"ACOG has always been committed to evidence-based medicine and to the health and safety of our patients. For decades, we have proudly participated in ACIP to ensure that vaccine recommendations are grounded in rigorous scientific evidence and protect the health of pregnant women, children, and families," said Steven J. Fleischman, MD, MBA, FACOG, president of ACOG. "The recent reconstitution of the committee; the removal of ACOG experts from ACIP workgroups; and HHS' unilateral changes to vaccine recommendations, which bypassed established scientific and clinical processes, represent a fundamental departure from the scientific rigor and impartiality that have been the hallmark of this committee for 60 years."

Vaccines are among the most significant public health achievements in modern medicine. During pregnancy and throughout the life span, vaccines protect against serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses, diseases, and conditions that can have long-term health consequences. To protect women and families, ACOG has consistently developed evidence-based clinical guidance on immunization during pregnancy that is grounded in decades of rigorous research that confirms vaccines are safe and effective for patients and their developing pregnancies. ACOG's experts have contributed to ACIP workgroups for decades, during which time members of ACIP workgroups were vetted for conflicts of interest to ensure unbiased, pregnancy-specific clinical expertise was represented. Until now, ACOG endorsed the CDC's adult and child and adolescent immunization schedules, which were based on ACIP recommendations, as the committee provided evidence-based recommendations for pregnant women.

In recent months, ACIP has ignored peer-reviewed reports on vaccine safety; shared presentations containing cherry-picked data without appropriate scientific context; and unilaterally changed the childhood and adolescent vaccine schedule without regard to expert input, eroding the evidence-based framework that has guided ACIP and vaccine policy for decades. These actions threaten to undermine public confidence in immunizations that have saved countless lives and prevented immeasurable suffering.

"ACOG's withdrawal from ACIP is not a withdrawal from our commitment to advancing vaccine science or to protecting patients' health and safety; rather, it reflects an unwavering dedication to ensuring that clinical recommendations for immunizations are based solely on the best available scientific evidence. ACOG remains committed to developing and endorsing evidence-based vaccine recommendations related to obstetric and gynecologic health care," said Dr. Fleischman.

ACOG will continue to develop evidence-based vaccine guidance for ob-gyns and their patients and will regularly update its clinical guidance on immunizations based on peer-reviewed scientific data and in collaboration with other leading medical organizations committed to evidence-based medicine. ACOG will also continue to engage with ACIP as an active member of the public.