Commission on vaccine safety could cause unnecessary skepticism
ACP statement attributable to:
Nitin S. Damle, MD, MS, MACP
President, American College of Physicians (ACP)
January 11, 2017
The American College of Physicians is concerned that the incoming administration’s announcement regarding a commission to study vaccine safety and scientific integrity will confuse the public about the importance of immunizations. Vaccines are a safe, effective, and easy way for children and adults to protect themselves, their families and friends, and their communities from life-threatening diseases.
Immunization is considered one of the great public health victories in the last 100 years, when rates of a host of dreaded diseases were slashed dramatically as safe, effective vaccines were introduced. Once-feared diseases like polio, rubella, and pertussis became virtually unknown as routine vaccination cut rates to almost zero.
ACP fully supports the evidence-based recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The College and other professional organizations review and approve the schedule for adults every year.
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About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States. ACP members include 148,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on Twitter and Facebook.