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MCAAP Immunization Initiative Update
June 2025
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Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices Update
As you are aware, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is the federal advisory committee that develops recommendations on the use of vaccines in the civilian population of the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sets the U.S. adult and childhood immunization schedules based on ACIP recommendations. ACIP recommendations also are implemented by the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program, a federally funded program that provides free vaccines to eligible children in the United States.
On June 9, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it would replace the current ACIP membership.
In response to this decision, the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) issued the following press statement:
“The American Academy of Pediatrics is deeply troubled and alarmed by Secretary Kennedy’s mass firing of all 17 experts on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. This unprecedented action, against the backdrop of contradictory announcements from the Administration in recent days about vaccines, will cause even more confusion and uncertainty for families.
We are witnessing an escalating effort by the Administration to silence independent medical expertise and stoke distrust in lifesaving vaccines. Creating confusion around proven vaccines endangers families' health and contributes to the spread of preventable diseases. This move undermines the trust pediatricians have built over decades with our patients and leaves us without critical scientific expertise we rely on.
Children and families must be able to access the immunizations they need to stay healthy. Our vaccine infrastructure must include this critical step of nonpartisan, expert review and discussion of the science and clinical recommendations for individual vaccines. Families and children will be the ones to pay the price for this decision.”
One June 11, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., named eight new vaccine policy advisers to replace the removed members. The AAP's response to these appointments can be found here.
The next ACIP meeting will be held on June 25 and 26. A draft meeting agenda can be found here. The meeting will be live-streamed here.
At this time, it is unknown what effect these changes will have on pediatric immunization recommendations going forward. Updates from the ACIP meeting and the Department of Health and Human Services related to vaccines will be communicated as they become available.
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CDC Updates COVID-19 Vaccines Recommendation for Healthy Children
On May 27, 2025, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., announced that Covid-19 vaccines had been removed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended immunization schedules for healthy children and pregnant women. The ACIP was not included in determining this recommendation.
An AAP News article, "Removal of COVID vaccines from immunization schedules for healthy children, pregnant people disregards process, increases risk," discusses the effect that these changes could have on healthy children and persons who are pregnant.
On May 29, 2025, the CDC updated its recommendation materials, removing guidance that endorsed use of the vaccines during pregnancy and altering its language regarding healthy children from a recommendation for routine administration to a shared clinical decision statement. The updated immunization schedule can be found here. Please see the “Notes” section for a detailed explanation of the updated COVID-19 vaccines recommendation.
If you have questions about the updated recommendation, please contact Cynthia McReynolds (cmcreynolds@mcaap.org).
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Measles Update
As of June 19, 2025, a total of 1,214 measles cases in 36 jurisdictions have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There have been 23 outbreaks (defined as 3 or more related cases) reported in 2025, and 89% of confirmed cases (1,081 of 1,214) are outbreak-associated. For comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024 and 69% of cases (198 of 285) were outbreak-associated.
66% of confirmed cases are in persons 19 years of age and younger. 95% of confirmed cases are in persons who were unvaccinated or for whom vaccination status is unknown.
Earlier this month, CDC posted a Be Ready for Measles Toolkit. The toolkit includes fact sheets, social media graphics, and videos for the public, and outbreak-related response tools for clinicians and other public health professionals.
CDC information and recommendations about measles and international travel can be found here.
CDC also posted "Preparing and Responding to Measles: Checklist for Summer Camps."
Please see the Resource Spotlight section of this newsletter for additional measles resources.
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MenACWY Vaccination Policy Update
The June 2025 DPH Vaccine Program Update included the following information about state-supplied Meningococcal A,C,W,Y (MenACWY) vaccines:
“Effective July 1st, 2025, state-supplied Meningococcal A,C,W,Y vaccines will be able to be administered at public provider sites (community health centers, local health departments) to uninsured and underinsured adult patients aged 19-20 years old that require the vaccine to fulfill Massachusetts school immunization requirements. This shift in MenACWY administration policy is aimed at bridging a longstanding gap between school vaccination requirements and state-supplied vaccine availability for uninsured and underinsured adults.
Once the policy takes effect on July 1st, any patient aged 19-20 years old who does not require the vaccine to meet school requirements, must still receive a privately purchased dose of MenACWY. Additionally, any patient above the age of 20, regardless of insurance status, must still be given a privately purchased dose of MenACWY. The Adult Availability Table will be updated accordingly to reflect the revised guidelines for MenACWY administration, once they take effect.”
Please contact the Vaccine Program with questions (617-983-6828; dph-vaccine-management@mass.gov).
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MDPH Publishes 2024-2025 School Immunization Data
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) annually collects and publishes immunization data for Massachusetts schools and child care centers. The 2024-2025 school immunization data can be found here.
Newly available data for the 2024-25 school year show the following statewide DTaP, MMR, polio, and varicella vaccine rates among kindergartners:
- 96.6% were vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
- 96.3% were vaccinated against DTaP
- 96.5% were vaccinated against polio
- 95.9% were vaccinated against varicella
While Massachusetts childhood immunization rates remain high (thank you, vaccinators!), the data also reveals that:
- Almost 20% of schools did not submit data for the 2024-2025 school year.
- Pockets of under-immunization exist in many Massachusetts schools, which place its students and the surrounding community at risk for a vaccine-preventable disease outbreak. For example, 165 kindergartens reported a MMR immunization rate less than 95%, which is the threshold for herd immunity.
What can you do to ensure high immunization rates?
- Continue your efforts to promote immunization in your practice and in your community. Click here for communication and print resources to promote vaccination.
- Develop methods for responding to vaccine concerns. Click here to access an AAP resource for talking with vaccine hesitant parents.
- Check out the school immunization rates for your town and county. Contact your school board and administration to alert them to any concerns and to advocate for policies which promote immunization.
- Advocate for legislation to eliminate non-medical exemptions to immunization for school entry and strengthen school immunization reporting requirements. See the Advocacy Update section of this newsletter for more information.
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Advocacy Update
Proposed Legislation to Eliminate Non-Medical Exemptions to Immunization for School Entry
On June 6, the Joint Committee on Public held a vaccine-related legislation hearing.
Oral and written testimony was entered in support of House bill (H.2554) and Senate bill (S.1557). The next step will be a Joint Committee on Public Health report on the legislation. Updates will be communicated as they become available.
In the meantime, the Massachusetts Families for Vaccines Coalition is dedicated to advocating for public health and evidence-based public policy, and to promoting immunizations for healthier kids and communities. The Coalition continues to spearhead the advocacy efforts for the proposed legislation to eliminate non-medical exemptions to immunization for school entry. Visit the Coalition's Massachusetts Vaccine Law Action Center to see how you can advocate for this legislation. Click here to receive Coalition updates.
Massachusetts Universal Adult Vaccine Program
The Massachusetts Universal Adult Vaccine Program and Adult Vaccine Purchase Trust proposed initially in Governor Healey's fiscal year 2026 (FY26) budget was not adopted into either the House or Senate budget bills. To be considered again in the future, a new bill will need to be submitted
Please contact Cynthia McReynolds (cmcreynolds@mcaap.org) if you have any questions or would like to join the effort to eliminate non-medical exemptions to immunization for school entry.
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Vaccine Confidence Update
The Massachusetts Vaccine Confidence Project (MVCP) is a collaboration of the Immunization Division, Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), the Massachusetts Adult Immunization Coalition (MAIC), and the Massachusetts Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics (MCAAP).
MVCP committee members met in April to review the project's activities during the past year and to develop goals and objectives for the project beginning in July 2025 (FY26).
In addition to developing its FY26 goals and objectives, the MVCP Mission Statement was updated. The updated statement follows:
"To ensure that everyone across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
is protected against vaccine-preventable diseases by building vaccine
confidence within communities and among providers."
On June 4, 2025, the MDPH Immunization Updates Webinar hosted, "Understanding and Building Vaccine Confidence." Click here to access the webinar presentation. The webinar recording will be posted here soon.
Click here to visit the MVCP website.
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Resource Spotlight
Measles
Healthcare Provider
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
CDC
Resources for Families
- Plan for Travel webpage. CDC
- Preventing Measles Before and After Travel Fact Sheet, CDC
- Measles webpage. MDPH. [Includes resources in multiple languages: Chinese (simplified), Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese.]
Recently Published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
Bulletins, Newsletters and Updates
-
MDPH Vaccine Program Update (June 2025)
- Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS) Monthly News & Updates (June 2025)
- MDPH Weekly Flu Update (5/23/25) - Last update of the 2024-2025 season!
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Upcoming Educational Activities,
Events and Meetings
June 24, 2024, 2:00 PM ET
Association of Immunization Managers (AIM)
Correlation and Causation: Understanding and Debunking Claims Linking Vaccines and Autism
Presenter: Michelle Fiscus, MD, FAAP, Chief Medical Officer, AIM
Dr. Fiscus will give an overview of autism spectrum disorder and how the vaccine-autism claim emerged and persists. She will summarize key studies that debunked the claim and share communication tools for immunization programs and healthcare providers to engage families and communities in informed conversations.
Click here to register for the webinar. Please note: CME-CEU credit will not be designated for the webinar.
June 25-27, 2025
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Meeting
Meetings are open to the public via live webcast. Click here for more information.
Save the Date!
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Massachusetts Immunization Action Partnership (MIAP)
30th Annual MIAP Pediatric Immunization Skills Building Conference
DCU Center, Worcester, MA
Updated information will be circulated as it becomes available.
On Demand Meetings and Recordings
2025 Vaccine Education Webinar Series
Click here to access recordings and presentations.
2025 MDPH Immunization Updates
Click here to access webinar recordings and presentations.
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