Joint Statement on the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ Decision to Remove COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations for Healthy Children and Pregnant Women

As organizations committed to protecting the health of all Americans through access to vaccines, we are concerned by the announcement made last week by Secretary Kennedy to eliminate the recommendation for COVID-19 vaccination for healthy children and healthy pregnant women. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated the recommended immunization schedule on Thursday and included shared clinical decision making between clinicians and families for children, there is no recommendation for pregnant women. The implications are serious: without the official recommendation for routine use, the announcement has created uncertainty about insurance coverage and payment for COVID-19 vaccines, potentially impacting affordability and making it less accessible for many families. 

Secretary Kennedy previously assured the public that he would not take away vaccines. Last week's action does exactly that – limiting access to a potentially life-saving intervention and removing the ability of millions of families to make informed decisions about how best to protect themselves and their loved ones. This decision was made without input from the public or the scientific community and one month before the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) was scheduled to vote on updated COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. 

This action sets a troubling precedent, undermining the established vaccine recommendation process, excluding expert and public input, and casting doubt on the transparency and scientific integrity of future immunization policy decisions. It raises the possibility that access to other routine vaccines could similarly be restricted at the discretion of the Secretary, without expert input or scientific justification. 
The implications of this policy shift also remain unclear. The lack of information about implementation timelines, impacts on programs like Vaccines for Children, and inconsistencies with recent FDA guidance – particularly regarding the well-documented COVID-19 risks during pregnancy – will create confusion among families and healthcare providers.

We urge the Department of Health and Human Services to immediately clarify its position committing to a transparent, science-driven process that includes input from public health experts and the families these decisions affect. 

Alliance for Aging Research 
Alliance for Women’s Health and Prevention 
American Academy of Pediatrics 
American Lung Association 
Big Cities Health Coalition 
Caregiver Action Network 
Cervivor, Inc. 
Families Fighting Flu 
Gerontological Society of America 
Global Coalition on Aging 
HealthyWomen 
Immunize.org 
Infectious Diseases Society of America 
March of Dimes 
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners 
National Consumers League 
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases 
National Medical Association 
National Minority Quality Forum 
NTM Info & Research, Inc. 
Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease 
Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease 
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society 
SAFE Communities Coalition 
Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 
STChealth 
Vaccinate Your Family 
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