Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
Encyclopedia
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) provides advice and guidance on effective control of vaccine
-preventable disease
s in the U.S. civilian population. The ACIP develops written recommendations for routine administration of vaccine
s to the pediatric and adult populations, along with vaccination schedule
s regarding appropriate periodicity, dosage, and contraindications. ACIP statements are official federal recommendations for the use of vaccines and immune globulins in the U.S., and are published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
.
s have resulted in the eradication of smallpox
, polio, measles
, and rubella
, and disease rates from vaccine-preventable diseases have been reduced by 99%.
Both private insurers in the United States and the federal government use ACIP recommendations to determine which vaccines they will pay for.
Most states in the U.S. have adopted ACIP vaccine recommendations and mandate
immunization before enrollment in public school, while allowing religious or philosophical exemptions to vaccination.
in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA). A vote on vaccine recommendations may be taken when a quorum of at least eight eligible ACIP members are present. Eligible voters are those members who do not have a conflict of interest
. If there are not eight eligible voting members present, the ACIP executive secretary can temporarily designate ex officio members as voting members, as provided in the committee charter.
Their process includes review of labeling and package inserts; review of the scientific literature on the safety and efficacy
; assessment of cost effectiveness; review of the morbidity and mortality
associated with the disease; review of the recommendations of other groups; and consideration of the feasibility of vaccine use in existing programs.
At meetings the ACIP may vote to include new vaccines into the VFC program or to modify existing vaccine schedules. These votes are codified as VFC resolutions. In most cases, a resolution takes effect after establishing a CDC contract for the purchase of that vaccine in the necessary amounts.
In addition, the ACIP includes ex-officio members from Federal agencies involved with vaccine issues, and non-voting liaison representatives from medical and professional societies and organizations.
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
-preventable disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
s in the U.S. civilian population. The ACIP develops written recommendations for routine administration of vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
s to the pediatric and adult populations, along with vaccination schedule
Vaccination schedule
A vaccination schedule is a series of vaccinations, including the timing of all doses, which may be either recommended or compulsory, depending on the country of residence....
s regarding appropriate periodicity, dosage, and contraindications. ACIP statements are official federal recommendations for the use of vaccines and immune globulins in the U.S., and are published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
.
Purpose and impact
The overall goals of the ACIP are to provide advice to government agencies for reducing the incidence of vaccine preventable diseases and to increase the safe usage of vaccines and related biological products. In the U.S., immunizationImmunization
Immunization, or immunisation, is the process by which an individual's immune system becomes fortified against an agent ....
s have resulted in the eradication of smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
, polio, measles
Measles
Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
, and rubella
Rubella
Rubella, commonly known as German measles, is a disease caused by the rubella virus. The name "rubella" is derived from the Latin, meaning little red. Rubella is also known as German measles because the disease was first described by German physicians in the mid-eighteenth century. This disease is...
, and disease rates from vaccine-preventable diseases have been reduced by 99%.
Both private insurers in the United States and the federal government use ACIP recommendations to determine which vaccines they will pay for.
Most states in the U.S. have adopted ACIP vaccine recommendations and mandate
Mandate
Mandate can refer to:*Mandate , an obligation handed down by an inter-governmental body*Mandate , an official or authoritative command; an order or injunction*Mandate , the power granted by an electorate...
immunization before enrollment in public school, while allowing religious or philosophical exemptions to vaccination.
Recommendation process
Regularly scheduled ACIP meetings are held three times a year. Notices of each meeting, along with agenda items, are published in the Federal RegisterFederal Register
The Federal Register , abbreviated FR, or sometimes Fed. Reg.) is the official journal of the federal government of the United States that contains most routine publications and public notices of government agencies...
in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act
Federal Advisory Committee Act
The Federal Advisory Committee Act is a United States federal law , which governs the behavior of federal advisory committees. There are now approximately 1,000 such committees...
(FACA). A vote on vaccine recommendations may be taken when a quorum of at least eight eligible ACIP members are present. Eligible voters are those members who do not have a conflict of interest
Conflict of interest
A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in the other....
. If there are not eight eligible voting members present, the ACIP executive secretary can temporarily designate ex officio members as voting members, as provided in the committee charter.
Their process includes review of labeling and package inserts; review of the scientific literature on the safety and efficacy
Efficacy
Efficacy is the capacity to produce an effect. It has different specific meanings in different fields. In medicine, it is the ability of an intervention or drug to reproduce a desired effect in expert hands and under ideal circumstances.- Healthcare :...
; assessment of cost effectiveness; review of the morbidity and mortality
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
associated with the disease; review of the recommendations of other groups; and consideration of the feasibility of vaccine use in existing programs.
At meetings the ACIP may vote to include new vaccines into the VFC program or to modify existing vaccine schedules. These votes are codified as VFC resolutions. In most cases, a resolution takes effect after establishing a CDC contract for the purchase of that vaccine in the necessary amounts.
Working groups
To ensure thorough review of available information, ACIP often appoints working groups to assist drafting its recommendations, composed of ACIP members, CDC staff and others with immunization expertise.Members
The ACIP nominally contains fifteen regular members, each an expert in one of the following fields:- immunization practices and public health
- use of vaccines and other immunobiologic agents in clinical practice or preventive medicine
- clinical or laboratory vaccine research
- assessment of vaccine efficacy and safety
- consumer perspectives and/or social and community aspects of immunization programs; at least one member must be an expert in this category.
In addition, the ACIP includes ex-officio members from Federal agencies involved with vaccine issues, and non-voting liaison representatives from medical and professional societies and organizations.
See also
- Joint Committee on Vaccination and ImmunisationJoint Committee on Vaccination and ImmunisationThe Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is an independent expert advisory committee of the United Kingdom Department of Health...
, the National Health ServiceNational Health ServiceThe National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
counterpart in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...