Source: American Academy of Family Physicians
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) vote to no longer provide parents the choice of the combination measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine for children under four years old could limit access to vaccination against preventable diseases and undermines efforts to protect vulnerable populations.
Separate vaccination for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and varicella is currently recommended by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for children ages 12-47 months; however, the combined vaccination (MMRV) was available for those parents and caregivers who chose it. Removing the combined MMRV vaccine as an option for younger patients can have implications for out-of-pocket costs, parental choice, and equity.
Further mismatches in recommendations and nuanced changes to the immunization schedule cause confusion and undermine trust in the public health system and in vaccines. The AAFP supports the MMRV vaccine remaining an option for children age 12-47 months if a parent or caregiver prefers after consulting with their physician.
To be clear, measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccination is still recommended, available, and widely covered as two separate vaccines for all children ages 12 months and older, and the combined MMRV vaccine is still recommended for children 4-12 years old.
Vaccination remains essential to keep our children and communities healthy, and decades of data have shown that the benefits of immunization – reducing illness, hospitalization, and death – far outweigh any risks.