In response to information that President-Elect Donald Trump plans to appoint a new group to study the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, the American Academy of Family Physicians released the following statement attributed to AAFP President John Meigs, Jr, MD, on January 10:
“Earlier today it was reported that the incoming administration was planning to appoint a group to study the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. A new federal commission on immunizations is not necessary and would divert much needed dollars from other, more pressing health care issues. To suggest the need for such an organization promotes unnecessary, ongoing, and disproven skepticism about vaccines and public safety.
Vaccines are safe, effective, and they save lives. The fake news of an alleged link between vaccines and autism has been thoroughly debunked.
Family physicians provide vaccinations to children and adults every day to prevent infectious diseases that have the potential to be devastating and even deadly.
Evidence-based science is key to understanding the necessity and effectiveness of vaccines. Science has proven time and time again that vaccines are a safe and effective tool in preventing communicable disease across the lifespan.
We should allow entities such as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to continue to let them do their excellent and evidence-based work on the health effects of vaccines. The science is clear, and family physicians stand ready to help everyone – from the incoming administration to the general public – understand how safe and important vaccines are.”