Washington, DC, July 31, 2025 — The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is deeply concerned with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Secretariat’s decision to label liaison organizations as “special interest groups” and therefore, “biased” in decision making.
APhA has served as a non-biased liaison organization with pharmacists, who are free from conflict of interest, voluntarily serving as scientific advisors on ACIP work groups for over 25 years. To hear after two decades of providing boundless scientific and clinical expertise to protect the public and keep patients safe that liaison organizations are considered “special interest groups” and therefore expected to have “bias” is disgraceful and disrespectful.
“Pharmacists are frontline providers. We care for patients every day and deliver public health in our communities,” said Michael D. Hogue, PharmD, FAPhA, FNAP, FFIP, Executive Vice President and CEO of APhA. “Calling our profession a ‘special interest’ that ‘biases’ our participation is wrong and dismisses decades of scientific contributions that have kept Americans safe.”
APhA is extremely disappointed that the ACIP Secretariat would take this position with full knowledge of ACIP’s history and the critical role pharmacists have played in safeguarding public health. Pharmacists have helped ACIP protect the nation from serious public health threats—and we will continue to do so. We urge the ACIP Secretariat to reconsider this reckless decision.
Media Contact:
Robert Hodges
Senior Director, Marketing and Communications
American Pharmacists Association (APhA)
rhodges@aphanet.org
202-429-7560