Medical societies issue unified vaccine guidance amid shifting federal policies
Leading U.S. medical groups released independent recommendations for flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccinations, citing evidence reviews of nearly 300 studies after recent changes to federal vaccine policy.
Top U.S. medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Infectious Diseases Society of America, issued coordinated guidance on influenza, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines. The recommendations were informed by an evidence review of almost 300 peer-reviewed studies conducted by the University of Minnesota's Vaccine Integrity Project and the American Medical Association, with findings published in JAMA.
For influenza, the groups align with the CDC, advising annual vaccination for everyone six months and older, with higher-dose options for adults 65 and older. Studies cited show a 31% reduction in flu-related hospitalizations among seniors and an 80% decrease in influenza-associated deaths among children and adolescents.
Regarding COVID-19, the societies suggest an annual vaccine for all children six months to 23 months, for children 2-18 in risk groups or by choice, for adults 19-64 including pregnant people, and for adults 65 and older with a booster six months later. Research indicated a 53% drop in hospitalizations for seniors and a roughly 50% reduction in emergency visits for children aged nine months to four years.
RSV guidance recommends a single dose for pregnant people between 32 and 36 weeks, a monoclonal antibody for infants under eight months if the mother was unvaccinated, and vaccination for older adults and certain high-risk children. The review found significant protection for infants and older adults, though specific efficacy figures were not provided.
"The American public deserves clear, credible information – based on the best available scientific evidence – when making decisions about vaccination," said AMA President-elect Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer in a press release.
The new guidance comes after a federal judge blocked portions of a 2026 administration memo that removed universal recommendations for several childhood vaccines, a decision the Department of Health and Human Services plans to appeal.