Advisory Committee on Immunization 

Practices Policies and Procedures

June 2022
i

Contents

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................1

Organization of this Document.................................................................................................................1

ACIP Structure...............................................................................................................................................1

Charge to Members..................................................................................................................................1

Member Types..........................................................................................................................................2

Voting Members ...................................................................................................................................2

Ex Officio and Liaison Members............................................................................................................3

ACIP Leadership ........................................................................................................................................3

Chairmanship and Vice Chairmanship ..................................................................................................3

ACIP Secretariat and Steering Committee ............................................................................................3

Work Groups.............................................................................................................................................4

ACIP Functions ..............................................................................................................................................4

Process for Developing Recommendations..............................................................................................5

Technical Aspects..................................................................................................................................5

Developing the Recommendations.......................................................................................................5

Meetings...................................................................................................................................................7

Selection of Topics................................................................................................................................7

Voting....................................................................................................................................................7

Internal Decision Memos......................................................................................................................8

Publication of Recommendations.........................................................................................................9

Implementation and Evaluation of the Recommendations..................................................................9

Public Comment....................................................................................................................................9

Rules of Conduct for ACIP Meetings...................................................................................................10

Electronic Recording by Public Media.................................................................................................11

ACIP Recommendations for the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program ..................................................11

Member Roles and Responsibilities............................................................................................................11

General Member Responsibilities...........................................................................................................11

Attendance at Meetings .....................................................................................................................11
ii

ACIP-Related Contacts ........................................................................................................................12

Media Interaction ...............................................................................................................................12

Committee Correspondence...............................................................................................................13

Responsibilities Specific to Member Roles.............................................................................................13

Chair....................................................................................................................................................13

Vice Chair ............................................................................................................................................14

Voting Members (including Chair and Vice Chair)..............................................................................14

Conflicts of Interest when Participating as a Member ...........................................................................14

Membership Policies and Procedures ........................................................................................................16

Voting Members .....................................................................................................................................16

Appointments and Tenure......................................................................................................................16

New Members.........................................................................................................................................16

Membership Qualifications.................................................................................................................16

Solicitation for Nominees....................................................................................................................16

Selection of Nominees........................................................................................................................16

Notification to Applicants...................................................................................................................17

Consideration for Nomination: Financial Conflicts of Interest ...........................................................17

Orientation and Education......................................................................................................................18

Table. ACIP Membership (as of October 2017) ..........................................................................................19

Appendix. Member Conflicts of Interest and Financial Interests...............................................................21
1

Introduction

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is a federal advisory committee, composed of 

medical and public health experts, that provides advice and guidance to the Director of the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention (CDC) on the most effective means to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases in the 

United States. ACIP’s guidance includes the use of vaccines, and may also include recommendations for 

administration of immune globulin preparations and/or antimicrobial therapy shown to be effective in 

controlling a disease for which a vaccine is available. In addition, ACIP has a statutory authority for the Vaccines 

for Children (VFC) program; ACIP has sole responsibility and authority to determine the vaccines, number of 

doses, schedule and contraindications for the VFC program. 

ACIP develops written recommendations—subject to the approval of the CDC Director—for the routine 

administration of vaccines to both pediatric and adult populations. To inform its advice to the CDC Director, ACIP 

considers disease epidemiology and burden of disease, vaccine efficacy and effectiveness, vaccine safety, the 

quality of evidence reviewed, economic analyses, and implementation issues. The overall goals of ACIP are to 

provide advice that will assist CDC and HHS in reducing the incidence of vaccine preventable diseases and to 

increase the safe usage of vaccines and related biological products, including active and passive 

immunoprophylaxis. The target populations for ACIP recommendations are public and private health care 

providers who administer vaccines, public and private officials who make vaccine policy, and the general public.

Organization of this Document

This document is intended to serve as a reference for ACIP members (and interested members of the general 

public) about ACIP’s structure and functions. It is organized into the following sections:

• ACIP Structure: This section describes the individuals and groups who make up ACIP.

• ACIP Functions: This section provides an overview of the activities and objectives of ACIP.

• ACIP Roles and Responsibilities: This section contains descriptions of the roles and responsibilities of 

ACIP members in carrying out ACIP’s functions.

• ACIP Membership Procedures: This section details the process for nomination, selection, and orientation 

of new ACIP members.

ACIP Structure

ACIP is a Federal Advisory Committee; the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 requires all such committees 

to have a committee charter. The charter marks the formal establishment of the committee, and the language of 

the charter specifies the committee’s mission or charge and includes operational characteristics, such as the 

number of members and the types of expertise required, the number of meetings to be held per year, and the 

projected yearly operating cost for the committee. Any proposed changes to the charter are discussed by the 

Steering Committee. The ACIP Secretariat is responsible for renewing the charter every 2 years, and submitting 

amendments to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who is responsible for reviewing and approving the 

charter renewal.

ACIP’s charter is available at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/committee/charter.html. 

Charge to Members

Within ACIP’s charter, the formal Objective and Scope of Activities are:
2

“The Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and by delegation the 

Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are authorized under Section 311 and 

Section 317 of the Public Health Service Act, [42 U.S.C. §243 and 42 U.S.C. §247b], as amended, 

to assist states and their political subdivisions in the prevention and control of communicable 

diseases; to advise the states on matters relating to the preservation and improvement of the 

public’s health; and to make grants to states and, in consultation with the state health 

authorities, to agencies and political subdivisions of states to assist in meeting the costs of 

communicable disease control programs.”

Members of ACIP have a responsibility to provide CDC and HHS with high quality, well considered advice and 

recommendations. ACIP members play a critical role in ensuring the reputation of ACIP as a nationally and 

internationally recognized advisory group in the field of immunization. ACIP members are committed to the 

development and improvement of public health policies. 

Member Types

ACIP comprises up to 20 voting members, eight ex officio members, and 31 liaison representatives (see the 

Table), who function under a Chair and Vice Chair and are guided by a Steering Committee.

ACIP Membership must include at least 20% minority representation. The following is the official description of 

qualifying U.S. minority group candidates provided by Federal Advisory Committee Management Branch

(FACMB)/Management Analysis and Services Office (MASO):

• Black or African American

• Hispanic 

• American Indian/Alaska native

• Asian (origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent 

including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, 

Thailand, and Vietnam. It includes “Asian Indian,” “Chinese,” “Filipino,” “Korean,” “Japanese,”

“Vietnamese,” and “Other Asian.”)

Voting Members

Voting members serve overlapping terms of 4 years. Voting members are identified by the ACIP Steering 

Committee, and selected and appointed by the Secretary of HHS. Members fall into the following two 

categories:

• Medical Professional Members (up to 19). ACIP includes up to 19 members representing clinical 

medical fields (physician, nurse, nurse practitioner) and/or public health professionals, e.g., State Health 

Department staff or epidemiologists. These positions are held by technically qualified people trained in a 

clinical medical field who possess in-depth knowledge of vaccines and immunization. Candidates for this 

position may be recommended by a professional medical organization or other interested parties. ACIP 

also welcomes self-nominated candidates possessing the required technical knowledge and experience. 

• Lay Member: Consumer Representative (one). ACIP must include a consumer representative as one of 

the 15 voting members of the committee. This position is held by a technically qualified person 

knowledgeable about consumer perspectives and/or social and community aspects of immunization 

programs. Candidates for this position may be recommended by a consortium of consumer-oriented 
3

organizations, an individual consumer-oriented organization, or other interested parties. ACIP also 

welcomes self-nominated candidates possessing the required technical knowledge and experience. 

Ex Officio and Liaison Members 

In addition to the voting members, the Committee has eight ex officio members (who generally do not vote, but 

may be designated to vote in specific circumstances by the Executive Secretary) from other federal agencies and 

31 non-voting liaison representatives from professional societies and organizations responsible for the

development and execution of immunization programs for children and adults. Ex officio members and liaison 

representatives are expected to represent the position and views of their sponsoring organizations, and to 

contribute to Committee discussions when issues of importance to their organization are being discussed and 

when they possess information important to the discussion. Ex officio and liaison members also may serve on

Work Groups to provide expert advice and apprise the Work Group of the position their organization endorses.

Ex officio members representing (and financially supported by) other federal agencies/departments are 

appointed based on a written document which outlines how the other agency/department can contribute to the 

quality of ACIP deliberations and decisions and/or enhance the implementation of ACIP recommendations.

Appointments of liaison representatives, primarily from professional organizations, are based upon written 

requests from organizations which document the commitment of the organization to providing expert input into 

ACIP decision-making process, travel and per diem support to their representative, and strongly encouraging 

their membership to adopt ACIP recommendations. Because of space and time limitations at meetings, liaison 

representatives must represent organizations that have broad immunization interests and that represent large 

constituencies. Groups that represent more narrow interests (e.g., interest in a single disease or vaccine) or 

small constituencies (e.g., organ transplant patients) are invited to participate in ACIP activities on an ad hoc 

basis whenever issues of interest and concern are being discussed rather than requesting liaison representation.

ACIP Leadership 

Chairmanship and Vice Chairmanship

Every 3 years the ACIP Secretariat identifies an ACIP Chair from the ACIP members who have served at least one 

year. The ACIP Chair serves a 3-year term, as defined in ACIP Charter, and must be confirmed by the Secretary

of HHS when the nomination package is submitted for approval. The ACIP Secretariat reviews characteristics of 

potential candidates, including leadership skills, a demonstrated ability to maintain a smooth and timely 

processing of agenda items and discussion by ACIP members and the public during ACIP meetings, and ability to 

meet the other considerable demands placed on the Chair.

The ACIP Secretariat selects a voting member to serve as Vice Chair of the Committee. This is not a position 

formally described within ACIP charter, but this is quite often the person who will be invited to become the next 

Chair. 

ACIP Secretariat and Steering Committee

The ACIP Secretariat is composed of CDC staff members. The ACIP Executive Secretary, or “Designated 

Federal Official,” (DFO) is a senior consultant to the Director of the National Center for Immunization and 

Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). The DFO is responsible for the committee's overall management and 

compliance with FACA law. 
4

Steering Committee members includes representatives from each of the major centers at CDC. Some Steering 

Committee members are affiliates of Work Groups within ACIP. The Steering Committee meets four times per 

year: once before each ACIP meeting (February, June, and October) to plan the meeting agenda and once in 

November/December to discuss the nomination of new members. 

Work Groups

ACIP utilizes subgroups of the Committee, or Work Groups, to extensively review relevant published and 

unpublished data and develop recommendation options for presentation to the ACIP during its public meetings. 

ACIP Work Groups 1) must include two or more ACIP voting members, one of whom serves as Chair; 2) must 

include CDC staff members; 3) should include an FDA staff member, if appropriate; and 4) may include ex officio

members and liaison representatives. Only appointed ACIP voting members may chair a Work Group. On 

occasion, disease/vaccine experts who are not government employees, ACIP members, ex officio members or 

liaison representatives may be asked to serve as consultants to a Work Group. Members with a potential 

financial conflict of interest cannot serve on a Work Group that is dealing with a product that is the subject of 

the conflict. If the individual has unique expertise to the Work Group, that person may serve as a scientific 

consultant but should not participate in policy deliberations. Conflict of interest declarations are signed by Work 

Group members annually and changes should be announced during Work Group teleconferences.

Representatives of vaccine manufacturers may not serve as members of a Work Group but, at the discretion of 

the Chair, may be asked to make presentations to the group and answer questions. Following these 

presentations, non-Work Group members may be asked to leave in order to allow deliberations to be limited to 

members of the Work Group.

ACIP Work Groups accomplish most of their work through regular teleconferences. These teleconferences

are closed meetings, and therefore ACIP Work Groups must observe certain guidelines that allow them to 

function exempt from FACA requirements. As FACA-exempt groups, ACIP Work Groups are not allowed 

to render consensus advice or recommendations directly to the Federal government. ACIP Work Group 

Chairs, other Work Group representatives, or the Work Groups per se are not empowered to speak on 

behalf of ACIP. Rather, they are utilized by ACIP to gather and organize information upon which ACIP can 

deliberate and act. Thus, while ACIP Work Groups can and should examine specific topics in detail and 

define the issues, including development of options for recommendations, the actual processes of group 

deliberation terminating in development of immunization recommendations must occur in the open 

public forum of ACIP meetings in compliance with FACA requirements. Additional information on ACIP 

Work Groups and their functioning is available in the ACIP Work Group Standard Operating Procedures 

document, which is available from the ACIP Secretariat.

ACIP Functions

Per its charter, ACIP’s primary duties are:

• Advising and guiding the Director of the CDC regarding use of vaccines and related agents for effective 

control of vaccine-preventable diseases in the civilian population of the United States. 

Recommendations made by ACIP are reviewed by the CDC Director, and if adopted, are published as 

official CDC/HHS recommendations in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). 
5

• Providing advice regarding the control of diseases for which a vaccine is licensed in the U.S. The 

guidance will address use of vaccines and may include recommendations for administration of immune 

globulin preparations and/or antimicrobial therapy shown to be effective in controlling a disease for 

which a vaccine is available. The committee also may provide recommendations that address the 

general use of vaccines and immune globulin preparations as a class of biologic agents, use of specific 

antibody products for prevention of infectious diseases, and special situations or populations that may 

warrant modification of the routine recommendations. 

• Establishing and periodically reviewing and, as appropriate, revising the list of vaccines for 

administration to children and adolescents eligible to receive vaccines through the Vaccines for Children 

Program, along with schedules regarding the appropriate dose and dosing interval, and 

contraindications to administration of the pediatric vaccines, in accordance with Section 1928 of the 

Social Security Act.

The specific functions that support these duties are detailed below.

Process for Developing Recommendations

Technical Aspects

ACIP Work Groups are formed to extensively review relevant published and unpublished data and develop 

recommendation options for presentation to the ACIP during its public meetings. Additional information on 

ACIP Work Groups and their functioning is available in the ACIP Work Group Standard Operating Procedures 

document, which is available from the ACIP Secretariat. 

Work Group are formed when updates to existing recommendations are anticipated based on availability 

of new data (regarding safety, effectiveness, and/or programmatic issues, e.g., vaccine administration or 

storage), or licensure of a new vaccine or new indications for existing vaccines are anticipated. In general, 

Work Groups should begin reviewing data 12-18 months prior to a potential decision on licensure; the 

length of time required for the Work Group to review data in anticipation of vaccine licensure will depend 

upon the complexity of the topic and the amount of available data existing. Immunoglobulin therapies 

and/or antimicrobial agents may be considered by ACIP in relation to control of a disease for which there 

is a vaccine available or under consideration.

Active Work Groups review recommendations regularly. For vaccines for which there is not a Work Group, the 

recommendations should be reviewed on a regular basis, at least every 7 years, and either revised, renewed, or 

retired with a vote by ACIP. A Work Group may or may not be established for this review, depending on whether 

minor or major changes to the recommendations are needed. However, a summary of any minor changes to the 

recommendations is presented to ACIP and voted on and published in the MMWR. The adult schedule, child and 

adolescent schedule, and influenza recommendations are published in the MMWR annually.

All Work Group findings generally are presented to ACIP in an open meeting, and this information is then 

deliberated. ACIP Work Groups are used as a resource for gathering, analyzing, and preparing information for 

the Committee that will discuss and deliberate on the information presented.

Developing the Recommendations

Recommendations are subject to extensive review by ACIP members, staff of the CDC and FDA, outside expert 

consultants, and vaccine manufacturers.
6

CDC vaccine recommendations are developed using an explicit evidence-based method based on the Grading of 

Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Key factors considered in 

development of recommendations include the balance of benefits and harms, type or quality of evidence, values 

and preferences of the people affected, implementation issues (excluding issues around payment and program 

costs) and health economic analyses. More information about GRADE can be found in the ACIP’s GRADE 

handbook (https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/recs/grade/downloads/handbook.pdf). 

Most issues that ACIP will vote upon require a GRADE evaluation of the evidence. However, a “when to GRADE” 

algorithm is currently under development and once it is finalized a link will be added here. A summary of the 

GRADE evidence should be included in the MMWR Policy Note, and the GRADE evidence tables are published on 

the ACIP website (https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/recs/grade/table-refs.html). If it is determined that a 

GRADE evaluation is not needed, the rationale for why GRADE is not being done will be clearly documented. The 

ACIP Secretariat is available to assist with questions about GRADE. 

Additionally, the ACIP is currently evaluating adoption of an evidence to recommendations framework. 

Information about the framework will be added here when available. 

The ACIP also provides guidance for the development of health economics studies 

(https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/committee/guidance/economic-studies.html). These procedures should be 

followed for economic analyses to be presented to the ACIP to ensure that economic data presented to the ACIP 

and its Work Groups are uniform in presentation, understandable, and of the highest quality.

Work Groups review all of the relevant published and unpublished data, including GRADE and economic 

analyses and implementation considerations. Additionally, Work Groups should seek additional data that may 

have been overlooked; make corrections in data content, evaluate appropriateness of the interpretation of data, 

and critique and challenge expert opinions. Areas in need of additional research or data should be clearly

identified in presentations to the full ACIP, and each statement should include a specific delineation of data 

gaps.

During ACIP’s decision making process the importance of the economic analyses and implementation 

considerations must be balanced, while also ensuring that the recommendations remain focused on the 

evidence base. Additionally, public comments are solicited during the Committee meetings and are considered 

during the decision making process.

Program staff compile and organize comments received and discuss them with the appropriate Work Group 

while redrafting recommendations. The Chair of the Work Group is responsible for the final review of the draft 

recommendations submitted for deliberation and approval by the full voting Committee.

Documents and data which will be discussed at the meeting must be disseminated to the Committee in a timely 

manner for the members to have the time to review the information and prepare for productive discussions. It is 

the responsibility of the presenters/authors to meet the timelines set by the ACIP Secretariat. These timelines 

are generally set ten weeks in advance of the meeting. Materials are sent electronically to the Committee 

members via email or the ACIP SharePoint site fourteen days prior to the meeting dates.
7

Meetings

Regularly scheduled meetings are held three times a year, at the call of the Executive Secretary. Meeting dates 

are announced 6-12 months in advance. Meeting dates and the location of the meetings are posted on ACIP’s

home page shortly after the dates and location are selected. At least 60 days prior to the meeting, the meeting 

date, items to be discussed, and location are published in the Federal Register. Meetings traditionally are held in 

Atlanta, Georgia. All regular meetings are live webcast, with instructions for accessing the webcast available on 

ACIP website before the meeting. Except as noted otherwise in these policies and procedures, the Chair will use 

Roberts Rules of Order (Eleventh Edition) as a guide when conducting Committee meetings.

In exceptional circumstances, the Director of CDC may call an emergency meeting of ACIP without prior notice, 

or with less than the usual 60-day notice in the Federal Register. If the notice cannot be published at least 60

days prior to the meeting, the Federal Register announcement will include the reasons for providing less than 60

days’ notice, as provided under GSA regulations at 41 CFR § 102-3.150(b). If exigent circumstances make 

publication of the Federal Register notice prior to the meeting impossible, the notice shall be published in the 

Federal Register as soon as possible after the meeting. In addition, under such circumstances, the agency shall 

utilize other appropriate mechanisms for providing notice of the meeting prior to its occurrence.

ACIP meetings are generally open to the public for their entire duration. However, there are or may be occasions 

when the nature of the information is such that a closed meeting is required. Examples might include 

discussions of proprietary information, information related to national security interests, or information related 

to personnel action within CDC. Participants in closed sessions may be required to sign pledges of nondisclosure.

All provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and Government in the Sunshine Act regarding closed 

sessions will be followed.

Selection of Topics

Potential topics for ACIP consideration can be suggested by anyone, but are most often proposed by CDC 

program staff, FDA program staff, ACIP members, and vaccine manufacturers.

Approximately ten weeks prior to an upcoming meeting, a memorandum requesting potential agenda items is 

sent to ACIP voting members, CDC and FDA staff. The person suggesting an agenda item is asked to specify the 

topic to be on the agenda, issues of concern, and specific questions to be addressed by ACIP. Agenda items are 

accepted for presentation by the Steering Committee. The Executive Secretary has the authority to approve, 

disapprove, or hold over to another meeting any agenda item submitted for the agenda.

Voting

The Committee shall not take a vote unless a quorum of more than half of the voting members is present.

Whenever eight or more members are not eligible to vote, the Executive Secretary or his or her designee shall 

have the authority to temporarily designate the ex officio members as voting members. A majority vote is 

accepted by the committee. In the case of a tie vote, the Chair’s vote determines the final result.

Ex officio members are expected to announce any conflicts of interest prior to any voting to determine if they 

can vote.

ACIP is charged with providing advice and guidance regarding the use of vaccines and related agents (e.g., 

immune globulin preparations and/or antimicrobial therapy shown to be effective in controlling a disease for 

which a vaccine is available) for the civilian population of the United States. Upon the licensure of any vaccine 
8

or any new indication for a vaccine, the committee shall, as appropriate, consider the use of the vaccine at its 

next regularly scheduled meeting. If the committee does not make a recommendation at the committee’s first 

regularly scheduled meeting, the committee shall provide an update on the status of such committee’s review.

ACIP should vote to make new recommendations when:

• There are no existing recommendations (previously not-vaccine preventable)

• The vaccine product uses a novel adjuvant 

• The vaccine protects against different, or additional, serotypes, serogroups, etc.

• The age indication, number and/or schedule of doses, or population under consideration differs from 

previous ACIP recommendations

ACIP does not need to vote on language for clinical guidance, but they can review CDC developed clinical 

guidance.

The Committee shall not vote to recommend a vaccine prior to its licensure by the FDA, except where 

extraordinary circumstances exist that require potential use of a vaccine under an Investigational New Drug 

application/Emergency Use Authorization. The Chair may ask members for their individual opinions on vaccine 

recommendations prior to licensure in order to gain a sense of the Committee’s thinking to provide program 

staff and Work Group members with direction in developing draft recommendations. 

All ACIP recommendations that are approved by the CDC Director are considered CDC policy once published in 

the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 

Internal Decision Memos

After ACIP recommendations have been submitted to the CDC Immediate Office of the Director (IOD), the CDC 

Director may adopt or reject the recommendations. The DFO prepares an internal decision memo addressed to 

the CDC Director and obtains the necessary CIO approvals. Following these approvals, the DFO then submits this 

decision memo to the CDC Director, on committee stationery, in a memo signed by ACIP Chair. ACIP 

Recommendations should not be posted by CDC, even as "provisional recommendations,” until the CDC Director 

approves adoption of these recommendations. If the CDC Director adopts the recommendation(s), the decision 

is documented on the internal decision memo.

If the CDC Director disagrees with one or more of ACIP recommendations, the decision is documented on the 

internal decision memo. The DFO works with CIO leadership to draft a memo for ACIP to address the Director’s 

concerns. The Secretariat will obtain any OD clearances of the draft memo as well as the CDC Director’s 

approval. If ACIP concurs with the CDC Director and issues modified recommendations, the Secretariat proceeds

with CDC adopted recommendations (see above – Internal Decision Memo is approved). If ACIP does not modify 

its recommendations, a second internal decision memo is created to brief the Director on the committee’s 

recommendations. If the Director still disagrees with ACIP recommendations, the Secretariat, with assistance 

from the appropriate CIOs, drafts and publishes a Federal Register Notice with opportunity for 30 days public 

comment that articulates the Director’s views and proposed decision.
9

Publication of Recommendations

New and revised recommendations, once approved by the CDC Director, are published in the MMWR as a policy 

note. Comprehensive updates to ACIP recommendations, usually summarizing multiple ACIP recommendations 

that have been published over a period, are published in the MMWR as Recommendations and Reports.

Implementation and Evaluation of the Recommendations

Implementation and evaluation of the impact of the recommendations is the responsibility of the relevant CDC 

program not ACIP. However, CDC programs will periodically report information relevant to these activities to 

ACIP and others who may be involved in implementing the recommendation (e.g., managed care, private 

practitioners).

Public Comment 

ACIP holds open discussions and reserves meeting time for public comment, which is welcomed as an essential 

aspect of the Committee’s deliberations. Public comment is specifically invited on matters related to the ACIP’s 

roles under the Vaccines for Children Program and the Affordable Care Act. In addition, public comments can be 

made on any topic relevant to the ACIP’s charge as listed in the committee’s Charter.

Oral Public Comment Procedures

Each ACIP meeting will include at least 60 minutes of time for in-person oral public comment, as needed. The 

oral public comment period will occur before any scheduled votes. Each speaker will be allotted 3 minutes to 

present. Each speaker may only speak once per meeting unless invited by the ACIP Chair. 

Priority will be given to individuals who submit a request to make an oral public comment before the meeting 

and according to the procedures and deadlines in the Federal Register Notice announcing the ACIP meeting and 

on the ACIP meeting information website. 

CDC will assign each individual who submitted a request to make an oral public comment a unique identifier 

number with no personally identifying information. After the deadline for submitting requests for oral public 

comment has passed, the list of unique identifiers will be provided to the Deputy ACIP Executive Secretary, who 

will use a Microsoft Excel formula to randomize the list. The randomized list will then be used to determine the 

order of speakers.

If more people request to make an oral public comment than can be reasonably accommodated during the 

allotted public comment period at an ACIP meeting, CDC will determine the number of speakers that can be 

reasonably accommodated in the designated oral public comment period and invite that number of speakers to 

comment. CDC will use a lottery system and allot time to speakers in the same order they appear in the 

randomized list. CDC will not give preference to any individuals, organizations, or interests. For example, if CDC 

determines that 20 speakers can be reasonably accommodated during the oral public comment session, the first 

20 individuals on the randomized list will be allotted time to speak, while the names after the first 20 will not be 

allotted a time for oral public comment at that meeting. Any member of the public may still submit a written 

comment according to the procedures described below. 

CDC will send email notification to individuals who have been allotted a time to provide an oral public comment 

at an ACIP meeting. Individuals who have been allotted a time must visit the CDC information desk at the 

meeting and sign in. If an individual who has been allotted time to provide an oral public comment at an ACIP 
10

meeting is unable to speak at the meeting, CDC may allow another person to provide the oral public comment 

on the individual’s behalf. CDC will provide the procedures for this substitution, if applicable, in the email 

notification to individuals when they are allotted a time to provide an oral public comment. 

On-site, in-person registration for oral public comment at the meeting will only be available if there is time 

remaining in the oral public comment session after all individuals who submitted a request to make an oral 

comment before the meeting have had an opportunity to speak. There is no guarantee there will be an 

opportunity for on-site, in-person registration for oral public comment, and all individuals interested in making

an oral public comment are strongly encouraged to submit a request in advance of the meeting according to the 

instructions in the Federal Register Notice and the ACIP meeting website.

The ACIP Chair or DFO will announce at the beginning of the meeting if on-site, in-person registration will be 

available based on the number of speakers allotted to speak during the oral public comment period. If on-site, 

in-person registration is available, individuals must request an opportunity to speak according to the instructions 

provided by the ACIP Chair or DFO at the beginning of the meeting. CDC will determine the order of speakers 

according to the randomization process described above. If more individuals request an opportunity to speak 

than there is available time, CDC will conduct a lottery according to the process above. 

In addition to the procedures above, the ACIP Chair has discretion to invite individuals to make an oral public 

comment outside of the designated comment period when relevant to the deliberations of the ACIP. 

Written Public Comment Procedures 

Any member of the public can submit a written public comment to ACIP. Written comments will be accepted up 

to 48 hours following the end of an ACIP meeting. Comments must be submitted using the Federal eRulemaking 

Portal: http://www.regulations.gov using the docket number for the ACIP meeting provided in the Federal 

Register Notice announcing the ACIP meeting and according to the instructions on regulations.gov. All relevant 

comments received will be posted without change to http://regulations.gov, including any personal information 

provided. Comments submitted by 72 hours before the meeting will be made available to ACIP members before 

the meeting. 

Rules of Conduct for ACIP Meetings

• An interested person who wishes to make an oral public comment during an ACIP meeting should submit a 

request with CDC before the meeting according to the instructions in the Federal Register Notice. Those who 

have not submitted a request before the meeting will only have an opportunity to speak as time permits or 

at the discretion of the Chair.

• Audience members may not present comments or questions to the Committee unless recognized by the 

Chair.

• Attendees may be subject to security screening, such as presenting identification, passing through metal 

detectors, and inspection of briefcases, packages, and so on.

• Attendees at the meeting are asked to maintain order and not display behavior that is disruptive to the 

meeting.
11

• The ACIP Chair or Designated Federal Officer will note on the record any disruptive behavior and will ask the 

person to cease the behavior or else leave the meeting room.

• Attendees are asked not to approach the ACIP table area before, during, or after the meeting without 

permission from the Designated Federal Officer/Executive Secretary.

Electronic Recording by Public Media

The Federal Advisory Committee Act states that advisory committee meetings be open to the public to the 

extent allowed by law and physical environment. The Chair and the Executive Secretary have the authority to 

regulate all aspects of the meetings, including electronic coverage. To ensure the meeting is conducted in a fair 

and expeditious manner, the Chair may restrict or deny use of electronic recording equipment. Any member 

finding lights or recording equipment disruptive to the conduct of business at the meeting should inform the 

Chair or Executive Secretary. Factors to guide the Chair in this determination include the potential for significant 

disruption, prejudicial impact on the meeting, fairness, and impairment of a participant’s ability to make a 

presentation or participate freely in discussion.

ACIP Recommendations for the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program

ACIP recommendations for the VFC Program are developed and voted upon in a separate process, distinct from 

ACIP recommendations, after vaccines are licensed. This process is based upon the unique statutory authority 

for the VFC program established by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. §1396s). This 

legislation gave ACIP the responsibility and authority to determine the vaccines, number of doses, schedule and 

contraindications for the VFC Program.

Consistency between ACIP recommendations and VFC resolutions is a high priority. Routine recommendations 

and recommendations for individual clinical-decision making are included in VFC resolutions. In some situations, 

usually for ease of implementation, the VFC resolution can be broader than ACIP recommendation.

For each vaccine considered for inclusion in the VFC program, written resolutions on the vaccine, schedule, 

dose, contraindications, and other issues relevant to appropriate uses of vaccines are reviewed by the 

Committee and are adopted or rejected through votes by voting ACIP members. A record of issues voted on is 

maintained at CDC by ACIP Executive Secretary, and the requirements of approved VFC resolutions are 

communicated to VFC providers through the state immunization programs.

Member Roles and Responsibilities

General Member Responsibilities

Attendance at Meetings

At public meetings of ACIP, the voting members vote on vaccine recommendations. Recommendations are 

accepted by majority voting. Votes are recorded and the vote tally is captured in ACIP meeting minutes, which 

are made available to the public and posted on ACIP website. The committee is updated regularly following 

implementation of new vaccine recommendations on pertinent data such as post-licensure safety monitoring, 

disease surveillance and outbreaks, and coverage. 

ACIP meeting dates are published approximately six months to one year in advance. Except in the event of an 

emergency, members of ACIP assume the responsibility of attending all meetings. At the discretion of the 
12

Executive Secretary, a member may be linked to a committee meeting by telephone or video conference, in 

which case his or her presence shall count toward the quorum. When a member does not attend a meeting or 

attends a portion of a meeting, the member is provided background material on the issues discussed, and is 

expected to be prepared to fully participate in the next meeting. If a member finds it difficult to attend 

meetings, he/she has the responsibility to resign from the Committee. This will allow for a new member to be 

appointed to carry out the term. Failure by a member to actively participate in the work of the committee, 

including through regular attendance at ACIP meetings, may result in a request by ACIP Executive Secretary to 

the Secretary of Health and Human Services to declare the position vacant with replacement of the affected 

member. 

ACIP-Related Contacts

ACIP members may be solicited to participate in consultations or surveys on vaccine issues that are addressed by 

ACIP. ACIP members should not participate in such consultations or surveys if they are requested to participate 

because of their ACIP membership status.

The Department’s Standards of Conduct prohibit "speaking" on matters related to an ACIP member’s official 

duties outside Committee or Work Group meetings. ACIP members are prohibited from receiving compensation 

for any speech or publication in which the purpose is to report on the member’s work on ACIP. Voting members 

should be concerned with, and should report to the Executive Secretary, any solicitation of information about 

the Committee’s activities by persons not officially affiliated with the Committee.

Media Interaction

As a federal agency, CDC's advisory committee meetings generally are open to the public and the media.

Therefore, Committee members may be approached by the media for an unscheduled interview. Members are 

not obligated to give an interview to the press either at the time they are approached or at a later time.

Members are free to give interviews and express their opinions, or the views of their employer, professional 

organization, etc., but should have CDC approval to speak as an ACIP member on ACIP matters. CDC offers the 

following guidance to members who receive CDC authorization to conduct an interview:

• ACIP members may choose to do media interviews with other ACIP members or CDC staff present and 

participating.

• Media inquiries or requests for interviews may be referred to the CDC Office of Health Communications’ 

representative.

• To avoid the appearance of bias, ACIP members shall not speak to the media about what they believe to 

be a likely outcome on an ACIP vote, prior to that vote being finalized.

• Members may discuss ACIP public meetings and their personal views, but must not disclose any 

proprietary information.

• Members are to be objective regarding issues brought before the Committee and should be aware that 

any strong public statements on Committee matters prior to a Committee vote could affect their future 

participation in related meetings because of the appearance of bias.

• Members should not speak to the press as representatives of either the Committee or the CDC, unless 

the agency designates a member to speak for the Committee (e.g., the Chair).
13

• Only the topic of discussion should be made public from closed portions of Committee meetings. Prior 

to discussing any matter discussed in a closed session, the member should consult with the Executive 

Secretary or a knowledgeable CDC staff member.

Committee Correspondence 

Any correspondence (letter, fax, e-mail, etc.) should be routed to the Committee Management Specialist for 

ACIP who then consults with the Executive Secretary to determine who the most appropriate respondent is. In 

some cases, the Chair of ACIP is the appropriate person; in other cases, it may be the Executive Secretary or 

other CDC official or it may be the Chair of a Work Group. However, no member should reply to official 

correspondence without consulting the Executive Secretary. The only exception to this rule is that all members 

are free to respond to questions about established points of fact (e.g., meeting dates, citations for ACIP 

recommendations, etc.).

Responsibilities Specific to Member Roles

Chair 

• Presides at all committee meetings and ensures that the agenda is adhered to as closely as possible. If it 

is necessary for the Chair to leave the meeting due to a conflict of interest, the Chair shall appoint the 

DFO, the Executive Secretary, or another committee member to preside. This includes those meetings 

conducted in person at the CDC as well as those special meetings that are called on an ad hoc basis and 

conducted via teleconference.

• Screens each voting ACIP member for conflicts of interest relevant to that vote when a vote is to be 

taken.

• Ensures that all rules of order and conduct are maintained during each session of an ACIP meeting. 

When a committee member(s) is disqualified from participation in committee discussions, the Chair 

ensures that the disqualified member does not participate and/or physically leaves the meeting room. In 

addition, the Chair ensures that the minutes and transcript clearly indicate that the member did not 

participate and/or was not present during the discussion.

• Calls on individuals for opinions and comments and terminates any discussion that is felt to be 

unnecessary. 

• Calls for a motion to be made and to be seconded when voting is required; calls for a vote when the 

motion has been made and seconded.

• Calls for and controls public participation during the open portion of a meeting. 

• Certifies to the accuracy of the minutes of each committee meeting prior to their distribution.

• With ACIP Secretariat, determines the need for establishment of new Work Groups and disbanding of 

Work Groups when a Work Group has completed its tasks.

• Leads the administrative meetings that are conducted at each ACIP meeting, which include as 

participants the voting ACIP members and selected CDC staff members. With ACIP Secretariat, develops 

the agenda for ACIP administrative meetings.

• With ACIP Steering Committee, assists in the development of the draft agenda for each ACIP meeting.

• As required, meets with ACIP Secretariat between ACIP meetings to discuss topics pertinent to ACIP (for 

example, need for a new Work Group; emerging issues such as interruptions in vaccine supply, 

development of influenza antiviral resistance, need to call an emergency ACIP meeting, new ACIP 

initiatives, agenda for ACIP administrative meeting, etc.). Such meetings generally are conducted via 
14

teleconference and are generally attended by ACIP Chair, Vice Chair and ACIP Secretariat and others as 

needed.

• Represents ACIP at key meetings of other Federal Advisory Committees. The Chair may designate an 

alternate to attend a meeting on his/her behalf, usually ACIP Vice Chair; if the Vice Chair is unavailable, 

the Chair may request that another voting ACIP member attend on his/her behalf. Participation in such 

meetings is generally funded by ACIP/ CDC.

Vice Chair 

• ACIP Chair may call upon ACIP vice Chair to assist with any of the Chair’s roles and responsibilities, as 

required. 

• In particular, the Chair and the Vice Chair may wish to divide responsibility for attendance at ACIPrelated meetings (such as other Federal Advisory Committee meetings) that occur throughout the year.

Voting Members (including Chair and Vice Chair)

The Chair and members of the Committee play a critical role in ensuring the Committee’s continued standing as 

a nationally and internationally recognized leading body in the field of immunization. ACIP members are 

expected to observe the highest standards of impartiality, integrity and objectivity in their deliberations, and 

that their recommendations should be driven by available scientific evidence. Members of ACIP will:

• Be committed to continued development and improvement in this important area of public health.

• Bring relevant experience to the Committee.

• Contribute to the provision of high quality and considered public health advice to the CDC and DHHS.

• Be expected to make a full and considered contribution to the work of the Committee and to contribute 

fully to the debate and to the decision-making processes.

• Provide expert guidance when an issue that falls within their particular area of expertise is under 

discussion.

• Contribute to the debate in the capacity of a well-informed health professional when the issue does not 

fall within their expertise.

• Take into account the need for and impact of vaccines, the quality and safety of vaccines and strategies 

to ensure that the greatest benefit can be obtained from the most appropriate use of vaccines.

• Be prepared to respond quickly to interaction by e-mail.

• Be prepared, as requested by the Secretariat, to attend and contribute to the work of one or more of 

ACIP work groups, which report to ACIP, and to attend occasional meetings of other Federal Advisory 

Committees on vaccines for which representation of ACIP would be needed.

• Be committed to declare all relevant interests. Any reported interest that could be perceived as a 

potential conflict of interest will be disclosed during public ACIP meetings and in written meeting 

minutes, which are posted on ACIP website.

All members serve in their personal capacity and should refrain from promoting the policies and views and 

products of the organization/institution for which they work.

Conflicts of Interest when Participating as a Member

Upon appointment, each voting member is required to file an Office of Government Ethics 450 form (OGE450 

http://www.oge.gov/Forms-Library/OGE-Form-450--Confidential-Financial-Disclosure-Report/ ) and a 
15

Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, which is reviewed by ACIP Secretariat, the Federal Advisory Committee 

Management Branch and the Office of General Counsel at CDC. CDC will individually evaluate and consider for 

waiver the related financial interests of each ACIP member in accordance with the OGE regulations at 5 CFR 

Parts 2635 and 2640, in particular to determine whether the need for the individual’s services outweighs the 

potential for conflicts of interest created by the financial interests involved. Taking into consideration the nature 

of ACIP, the types of expertise necessary to accomplish its purpose, the various ways in which vaccine expertise 

is developed, and the integrity of the advisory committee process, CDC will generally consider issuance of 

waivers in specific situations as detailed in the Appendix.

Confidential Financial Disclosure must be updated annually during a member’s term. At every ACIP meeting, the 

Chair calls for conflict of interest disclosure from each voting member at the opening of the meeting. 

Additionally, each voting member must declare any conflict of interest related to a particular vote prior to the 

vote being taken by ACIP. Any actual or perceived conflict of interests will be explored fully by the Secretariat, 

CDC’s Federal Advisory Committee Management Branch, and CDC legal counsel if necessary. Members with 

declared interests will be asked to recuse themselves from participating in the discussion and decision making of 

the issues relating to that interest. A member who has any doubt as to whether he/she has an interest that 

should be declared, or whether he/she should take part in the proceedings, should ask the Secretariat for 

guidance. 

As detailed below and in the Appendix, ACIP members will have consented to the following requirements as a 

condition of membership.

• No member, his or her spouse, or a member of his or her immediate family can be directly employed by 

a vaccine manufacturer or its parent company.

• Members cannot hold stock in any vaccine manufacturer or its parent company in excess of the OGE de 

minimus amounts. Members also agree that they, their spouse and minor children will not purchase 

such stock during their tenure on the committee. 

• Members cannot be holders of or otherwise be entitled to royalties or other compensation for a patent 

on a vaccine product or process, immunologic agent, adjunct or preservative that can be used for a 

vaccine that may come before ACIP during the anticipated term of appointment under consideration. 

• Members agree to resign any advisory or consulting roles, whether paid or unpaid, to a vaccine 

manufacturer (except participation in clinical trials or service on data monitoring boards) and to forego 

such consultation or membership on any vaccine manufacturer advisory committees (except 

participation in clinical trials or service on data monitoring boards), during his/her tenure on ACIP.

• Members forego solicitation or acceptance of funds from vaccine manufacturers on behalf of 

themselves or others.

• During their tenure on ACIP, members do not serve as a paid litigation consultant or expert witness in 

litigation involving a vaccine manufacturer.

• Members do not accept honoraria or travel reimbursement with a funding source from a vaccine 

manufacturer for attendance at scientific meetings, with the exception that they may receive travel 

reimbursement for CME presentations where the source of funding is an unrestricted grant to the CME 

provider by a vaccine manufacturer.
16

Membership Policies and Procedures

Voting Members

Appointment of ACIP members is made by the Secretary of Health and Human Services upon the proposal of the 

Steering Committee, but the Secretary may select members other than those recommended by the Steering 

Committee. Members of ACIP are appointed to serve for a term of four years, which in general is not renewable.

Appointments and Tenure 

Members will be appointed for a term of four years, which typically begins on July 1 in the year of appointment. 

In general, a member’s term may not be extended beyond four years, and appointment to a second term is not 

allowed. In cases when a new round of appointees has not been approved by the Secretary to begin their terms, 

existing ACIP members may be asked to extend their terms until their replacements have been appointed.

The Chair shall be appointed for a term of three years. The Chair is selected and appointed by the Secretary, HHS 

from among voting ACIP members who have had at least two years of experience serving on ACIP and have 

demonstrated the ability both to lead the work of similar bodies and to work effectively with CDC. 

New Members

Membership Qualifications

ACIP members are acknowledged experts with an outstanding record of achievement in their own fields and an 

understanding of the immunization issues covered by ACIP. They have a responsibility to provide CDC with high 

quality, well-considered advice and recommendations on matters described in ACIP Charter. 

Solicitation for Nominees

Each year, suggestions for members are sought from a variety of sources, including professional societies, 

current and former ACIP members, vaccine manufacturers, and the general public. During the year, suggestions 

for membership to the Committee are received from various sources. These submissions are compiled for 

consideration along with those received from the solicitation. When openings for membership occur, a 

solicitation for nominations will be posted on ACIP home page and published in the Federal Register.

Selection of Nominees

A listing of individuals suggested for nomination to the Committee is prepared and forwarded to the Executive 

Secretary, ACIP, and Steering Committee members. These individuals discuss the qualifications of the candidates 

and the expertise needed on the Committee to develop a slate of potential nominees. Selected candidates are 

then contacted to determine their willingness to serve on the Committee and to adhere to limitations in their 

financial relationships with vaccine manufacturers as described in this document.

All appointed ACIP members become Special Government Employees, subject to the federal laws that prohibit 

participation in matters in which they have a financial interest. Candidates must agree to comply with ACIP 

policies and procedures. With concurrence from the candidates, the slate of nominees is submitted to the 

Director of CDC for concurrence and authorization to prepare the nomination package.

The Director of CDC approves the final nomination package, which is then submitted to the HHS Secretary. The 

Secretary is responsible for appointing the member(s) to the Committee, who may or may not be those 

nominated by CDC. If an appointment is confirmed by the Secretary, the new member serves for a term of up to 

four years. A member who is unable to fulfill the full term on the Committee may resign by submitting a letter of 
17

resignation to the Executive Secretary. If a member resigns, a new member is appointed to fill the remainder of 

the unexpired term. 

Once the name of an individual is submitted as a possible nominee to the Committee, the name and information 

received on the candidate is held and may reconsidered in a future year if that person expresses an interest in 

continuing to be considered.

Notification to Applicants

Once the nomination package is submitted, both applicants who have and have not been put forward are 

notified. After approval, the Secretary of HHS sends letters of congratulation to those candidates accepted for 

service on ACIP. The respondents return an attached form to indicate acceptance (or non-acceptance) of 

appointment.

Once selection is finalized, candidates who were not selected will be sent an official letter. Candidates not 

selected may be reconsidered for the following year.

Consideration for Nomination: Financial Conflicts of Interest

In order to achieve the highest quality comprehensive recommendations for administration of vaccines, it is 

critical that individuals chosen for membership on ACIP have significant vaccine and immunization expertise, 

including crosscutting knowledge and experience in the various aspects of the immunization field. Some 

expertise important to the committee can only be developed through working relationships with vaccine 

manufacturers, which are in a position to be financially affected by many of the recommendations of ACIP.

Federal law (18 U.S.C. §208) prohibits federal executive branch employees, including Special Government 

Employees (e.g., members of Federal Advisory Committees such as ACIP), from participating in matters in which, 

to their knowledge, they, their spouse, minor child, or organization has a financial interest. CDC is sensitive to 

concerns about potential conflicts of interest by members serving on ACIP, particularly given the substantial 

financial implications some ACIP recommendations may have for vaccine manufacturers. Therefore, to assure 

the integrity of the committee, CDC has taken steps to assure that there is not only technical compliance with 

the ethics statutes and regulations regarding financial conflicts and the appearance of financial conflicts of 

interest, but also that more general concerns regarding the potential for the appearance of a conflict are 

addressed, or avoided altogether, through both pre- and post-appointment considerations. CDC has concluded 

that particular interests create conflicts, or perceptions of conflicts, which either contribute little or nothing to 

the ongoing level of expertise required on the committee, or create an appearance of such a strong interest in 

the success or failure of the products of a vaccine manufacturer, that such interests should disqualify an 

individual from membership on the committee. These include:

• A person will be not be considered for membership if they, their spouse, or a member of their 

immediate family is directly employed by a vaccine manufacturer or its parent company.

• Persons who hold stock in any vaccine manufacturer or its parent company in excess of the Office of 

Government Ethics (OGE) de minimus amounts will not be considered for nomination unless they agree 

to divest themselves of such stock before their term of office begins and all nominees must agree that 

they, their spouse and minor children will not purchase such stock during their tenure on the 

committee. 
18

• A person will be not be considered for membership if that person is a holder of, or otherwise is entitled 

to royalties or other compensation for, a patent on a vaccine product or process, immunologic agent, 

adjunct or preservative that can be used for a vaccine that may come before ACIP during the anticipated 

term of appointment under consideration. 

• To be considered for appointment to ACIP, a potential nominee must agree to resign any advisory or 

consulting roles, whether paid or unpaid, to a vaccine manufacturer (except participation in clinical trials 

or service on data monitoring boards) and to forego such consultation or membership on any vaccine 

manufacturer advisory committees (except participation in clinical trials or service on data monitoring 

boards), during his/her tenure on ACIP.

• Except as allowed under the previous bullet, potential nominees must agree that during their tenure on 

ACIP they will forego solicitation or acceptance of funds from vaccine manufacturers on behalf of 

themselves or others (e.g., to support educational activities of their Department or an organization of 

which they are a member, officer or employee).

• Potential nominees must agree that during their tenure on ACIP they will not serve as a paid litigation 

consultant or expert witness in litigation involving a vaccine manufacturer.

• Potential nominees must agree that during their tenure on ACIP they will not accept honoraria or travel 

reimbursement with a funding source from a vaccine manufacturer for attendance at scientific 

meetings, with the exception that they may receive travel reimbursement for CME presentations where 

the source of funding is an unrestricted grant to the CME provider by a vaccine manufacturer.

Orientation and Education 

Orientation for new members is provided to enable members to fully understand the work and functioning of 

ACIP, including participation in ACIP work groups. This is typically offered as a two-hour teleconference/webinar 

within one month of appointment of new members. The Secretariat will further arrange briefing and meetings 

with CDC staff and any other training in order to facilitate the full engagement of new members in the work of 

ACIP. From time to time, ACIP Secretariat arranges educational sessions on topics such as the role of health 

economics in development of ACIP recommendations, immunization safety monitoring and procedures used in 

development of evidence-based recommendations. These sessions are sometimes held at the CDC on the day 

before an ACIP meeting. 
19

Table. ACIP Membership (as of June 2022)

Group n Description of members

Voting members ≤19 Subject matter experts in vaccinology, immunology, pediatrics, internal medicine, 

nursing, family medicine, virology, public health, infectious diseases, and/or 

preventive medicine

1 Consumer representative who provides perspectives on the social and community 

aspects of vaccination.

Ex officio members 

(non-voting)

6 Individuals in the roles listed below or their designees.

• Director, Division of Vaccine Injury Compensation, Bureau of Health Professions, 

Health Resources and Services Administration

• Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug 

Administration

• Director, Center for Medicaid and State Operations, Centers for Medicare and 

Medicaid Services

• Director, Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of 

Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health

• Director, Indian Health Service

• Director, National Vaccine Program Office, HHS

Liaison representatives 

from professional 

organizations (nonvoting)

31 Participating organizations:

• American Academy of Family Physicians

• American Academy of Pediatrics

• American Academy of Physician Assistants

• American College Health Association

• American College of Nurse Midwives

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

• American College of Physicians

• American Geriatrics Society; 

• America’s Health Insurance Plans

• American Medical Association

• American Nurses Association

• American Osteopathic Association

• American Pharmacists Association

• Association of Immunization Managers

• Association for Prevention Teaching and Research

• Association of State and Territorial Health Officials

• Biotechnology Industry Organization

• Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists

• Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunization

• Infectious Diseases Society of America

• National Association of County and City Health Official

• National Association for Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

• National Foundation for Infectious Diseases

• National Immunization Council and Child Health Program, Mexico

• National Medical Association

• National Vaccine Advisory Committee

• Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
20

• Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers of America

• Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine

• Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America
21

Appendix. Member Conflicts of Interest and Financial Interests

ACIP members must file Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Confidential Financial Disclosure Reports, Form 450, 

as required by OGE regulations and the CDC policy and the Financial Disclosure for Federal Advisory Committee 

Members Appointed as Special Government Employees. CDC will individually evaluate and consider for waiver 

the related financial interests of each ACIP member in accordance with the OGE regulations at 5 CFR Parts 2635 

and 2640, in particular to determine whether the need for the individual’s services outweighs the potential for 

conflicts of interest created by the financial interests involved. Taking into consideration the nature of ACIP, the 

types of expertise necessary to accomplish its purpose, the various ways in which vaccine expertise is

developed, and the integrity of the advisory committee process, CDC will generally consider issuance of waivers 

as follows:

1. Limited Waivers. Where conflicts exist, only limited 208(b)(3) waivers will be considered, except as noted in 

number 6, below.

2. Scope of Limited Waivers. Limited waivers will generally allow members to fully participate in committee 

discussions related to waived interests, with the condition that they will be prohibited from voting on such 

matters (except in the case of de minimus interests which do not disqualify a member from voting). In addition, 

members will be prohibited from serving as chairs of subcommittees or Work Groups considering issues where 

conflicts exist.

3. Clinical Trials. A member who is serving as a principle investigator or as a member of a data monitoring board 

on manufacturer-sponsored research will be considered for issuance of a limited 208(b)(3) waiver to serve as a 

consultant to present to ACIP on matters related to this manufacturers’ vaccine, but cannot participate in 

deliberations or vote on such issues. The member may be granted a waiver as described in number 2, above, for 

issues related to other vaccines produced or marketed by that manufacturer.

4. Public Disclosure. In order to assure that their fellow committee members and the public are aware of a 

member’s related financial interests; continued membership on the committee will be conditioned on the 

member’s agreement to publicly disclose all vaccine-related interests and work, including participation in clinical 

trials, at the beginning of each ACIP meeting.

5. Vaccine Stocks. As provided in section B.1.b., except as allowed under OGE regulatory exemptions for de 

minimus amounts, members must agree to not own vaccine stocks during their committee tenure. In order to 

avoid even the appearance of a conflict, ownership of any amount of vaccine stocks is discouraged. Therefore, 

ownership by the member, spouse or minor children of de minimus amounts of stock in any vaccine 

manufacturer or its parent company must be disclosed at the beginning of each ACIP meeting.

6. Disclosure Not Required - Uncontrolled Interests. The member's employing institution may have financial 

interests which provide income to the member (e.g., grant funds deposited into a common account), but which 

interests are outside the member's area of work. Such interests are considered outside the member's control, as 

are an employing institution’s financial interests that do not provide income to the member. Given the lack of 

control, those interests, if they may be imputed to the member under 208, will generally be waived under 

208(b)(3) and, if waived, are not required to be disclosed. There are no restrictions on Committee activities 

based on such waived interests.
22

7. Tenure Commitments. Continuing membership on the committee and issuance and maintenance of any 

waiver will also be conditioned on the member’s fulfillment of commitments noted in section B.1 regarding 

interests during their tenure on the committee.