Declining ACIP Activity Raises Concerns for High-Risk Groups
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has seen significant changes in both activity level and areas of focus.
In 2020, ACIP held nine meetings, many of them emergency sessions or short virtual gatherings focused on COVID-19 vaccine authorizations and prioritization phases. That year, it published 178 documents.
By 2021, ACIP was operating at peak intensity. The committee held eight meetings and published 297 documents, including emergency guidance, vaccine schedule updates, and clinical recommendations. Discussions focused on mRNA vaccines, boosters, pediatric use, and risk-based strategies.
In 2022, activity began to decline. ACIP held five meetings and issued 245 publications, reflecting a shift from rapid pandemic response to more structured, long-term planning.
In 2023, the number of publications dropped to 134, while the number of meetings rose to eight. ACIP concentrated on routine updates such as RSV and mpox guidance and began efforts to rebuild confidence in the childhood immunization schedule amid growing vaccine hesitancy.
By 2024, activity had slowed further. Only three meetings were held, and just 93 publications were released for the entire year.
Key focus areas in 2024 included:
- RSV vaccination policy for older adults and infants
- MenABCWY combination meningococcal vaccines
- Routine immunization catch-up efforts following the pandemic
- Discussion of post-viral illness and long COVID vaccine relevance
So far in 2025, only one meeting has taken place.
While this decline in activity may reflect a return to non-emergency operations, GAI and other public health experts have expressed concern that reduced meeting frequency and delayed policy updates could leave high-risk groups, particularly those who are immunocompromised or living with autoimmune disease, without timely guidance or protection.