Michigan's chief medical executive has recommended that healthcare providers follow vaccine guidance from two different health organizations instead of the federal guidance.
Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian issued the recommendation on Thursday, saying that providers and families should follow the child and adolescent immunization schedule produced by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) or the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
Previously, the state looked to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), however, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., removed 17 members of the committee earlier this year.
Bagdasarian said that Michigan and more than a dozen other states now use the immunization schedules from the AAP and other national medical organizations
“Public health experts across the country, including myself, are not in agreement with recent federal vaccine recommendations,” Bagdasarian said in a statement “For decades, vaccines have played a critical role in the prevention and control of infectious diseases and have led to the elimination of several diseases and significant reductions in illnesses and fatalities. As the state’s chief medical executive, it is my duty to protect and promote public health, and I find the vaccine schedule recommendations produced by the AAP and AAFP well-evidenced and based on rigorous review. This Standing Recommendation will help encourage vaccine accessibility and availability in Michigan.”
Dr. Bashar Yalldo, the president of the Michigan chapter of the Academy of Family Physicians, said in a press release that children should also make sure to get the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. It comes after Kennedy's committee voted to change guidance on the hepatitis B vaccine.
“Routine childhood immunizations, including the hepatitis B birth dose, are supported by decades of real-world data and an exceptional safety record. The MAFP encourages parents to follow evidence-based medical guidance and to speak with their family physician about protecting their newborns, families and communities," Yalldo said in the statement.
Bagdasarian wrote in the recommendation, “Employing these schedules will contribute to the advancement of the health of Michigan’s residents and prevent severe, potentially fatal, negative outcomes. I encourage health care providers, health care systems and health care payers to limit barriers to vaccine access where possible.”
