CHICAGO – With respiratory viruses expected to surge this fall and ahead of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting this week, the American Medical Association (AMA) and 79 leading medical societies reaffirm their support for vaccination as the best way to protect against the flu, COVID-19, and RSV and their potentially serious complications. The organizations call on partners—insurers, hospitals, and public health agencies—to ensure these life-saving vaccines remain available to patients without cost sharing.
The open letter from the American Medical Association and medical society partners is available here.
The full text is below:
An open letter to the American people:
With the severe influenza season the U.S. experienced during the 2024-25 respiratory virus season, and the recognition that we will likely see another surge in respiratory viruses this fall, we know strong physician leadership is essential to reducing preventable illness, hospitalizations, and death. Vaccines for influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 remain among the best tools to protect the public against these illnesses and their potentially serious complications—and physicians are among the most trusted voices to recommend them. We come together as physicians from every corner of medicine to reaffirm our commitment to these lifesaving vaccines.
Recent changes to federal immunization review processes raised concerns across the medical and public health community. In this moment of uncertainty, physicians must align around clear, evidence-based guidance for patients.
We commit to working together to promote public understanding and confidence in the use of vaccines to avoid another severe respiratory virus season and resurgence of vaccine-preventable illnesses and deaths. We call on our partners—from insurers to hospitals to public health agencies—to ensure vaccines remain available to patients without cost sharing.
The health and safety of the public remains our top priority, and we will continue to support evidence-based immunizations to help prevent severe disease and protect public health.
Your continued partners in health,
American Medical Association
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About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
