March 9, 2026 

Doctors for America Fights for Responsible Vaccine Decision Making at HHS

WASHINGTON, D.C. – For nearly 20 years, Doctors for America has advocated for high-quality, evidence-based healthcare as a human right and for policies that protect patients, particularly those most vulnerable to harm.

As physicians, we rely on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to assess and make recommendations for the implementation of medical advancements. Over the last year, there has been an erosion of trust in Health and Human Services (HHS), as evidenced by multiple public polls and the establishment of alternative vaccine guidelines by respected medical organizations.¹ 

Public mistrust of proven medicines engendered by top health officials connecting disease and death with vaccinations has resulted in parents refusing safe, routine therapies such as Vitamin K given to newborns.

Evaluation of new and updated vaccines is a critical FDA responsibility. As a result of regulatory certainty and accepted scientific standards, Americans have had access to innovative vaccines that are safer, more effective and able to prevent an increasing number of diseases. Recent actions by the FDA, including an initial refusal to consider a drug for evaluation despite an agreed upon design and a billion dollar investment, made against the advice of FDA staff have had a chilling effect on vaccine research even though that decision was quickly reversed.²

The function of the CDC to use best evidence and consensus to determine trustworthy immunization guidelines has been crippled by the loss of experienced staff and turmoil in  leadership. This was seen in the remaking of the expert panel on immunization practices from a publicly vetted array of experienced scientists with multiple perspectives to a hand-picked group with conflicts of interest and uneven expertise.

In the current federal landscape, patients and clinicians are confronted with inconsistent and conflicting messages regarding immunization safety, efficacy, and best practices. Abrupt shifts in long-standing recommendations—such as newborn hepatitis B immunization—have contributed to confusion and erosion of public trust in preventive care.

As knowledge and science evolve, a process of continual reassessment is as important as new discoveries. Changes in treatment guidelines based on rigorous evidence allows for progress, and must withstand critical scrutiny. When policy and guidance change without the supporting evidence, distrust and skepticism supplant shared goals in healthcare. Public health guidance must be grounded in evolving evidence with high evidentiary standards and not subject to political or ideological shifts.

The final destination for every healthcare decision is the exam room. As our patients rely on us to give them the best possible advice, we rely on the FDA and the CDC to do the job that Congress intended - to evaluate innovations in treatment  and determine their best use without favor or prejudice. 

As physicians and medical trainees committed to quality healthcare, we will persist in advocating for policy that reflects our values: care options that are safe and effective, meeting the highest standards of evidence, ethics and public health. 

1. Kearney, A., Sparks, G., Hamel, L., Montalvo III, J., Valdes, I., & Kirzinger, A. (2025, August 13). KFF tracking poll on Health Information and Trust: January 2025. KFF. https://www.kff.org/health-information-trust/kff-tracking-poll-on-health-information-and-trust-january-2025/   
2. Lawrence, L. (2026). FDA reverses course, agrees to review Moderna’s flu vaccine. STAT. https://www.statnews.com/2026/02/18/fda-moderna-reverse-course-flu-vaccine/   

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About Doctors for America:

Doctors for America (DFA) is a national nonprofit that mobilizes over 40,000 physicians and medical trainees to advocate for policies that improve the health of patients and communities. Through advocacy training and action at the state and federal levels, DFA works to expand access to affordable care, strengthen community health and prevention, and advance health justice and equity. We do not accept funding from pharmaceutical, insurance, or for-profit health care entities, ensuring our work remains fiercely independent and patient-centered. DFA puts patients over politics–and over profits. Find out more at doctorsforamerica.org and on X @drsforamerica or Bluesky drsforamerica.bsky.social.

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