Vaccine guidance issued by US medical groups amid CDC delay

A coalition of US medical groups issued vaccine guidance for seasonal respiratory viruses on Wednesday, aiming to give advice while federal recommendations are delayed.

The coalition, which includes the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, published guidance for influenza, Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. The recommendations vary by age group and factors such as pregnancy.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention usually issues annual vaccine recommendations, but the process has been disrupted this year by lawsuits over policy changes made under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The medical groups said recent scientific studies had raised no new health concerns related to vaccines for the three viruses, citing an independent review by the University of Minnesota's Vaccine Integrity Project.

The federal government has issued guidance only for flu, extending its 2025 guidance.

American Medical Association president-elect Sandra Fryhofer said patients needed vaccine recommendations that were clear, credible and based on the best available scientific evidence.

Medical associations have repeatedly opposed federal steps under Kennedy, saying they run counter to scientific consensus. Vaccination rates in the United States have fallen since the Covid-19 pandemic and a wave of misinformation.

Kennedy has launched a broad overhaul of vaccination policy since last year, including changes to recommendations for hepatitis B, Covid-19 and measles vaccines. Many measures were suspended in March by a federal judge, who ruled that the government had disregarded science-based methods.