The ACIP Committee: A Seat at the Table and a Responsibility to Speak

Certain moments in medicine necessitate active participation rather than passive observation. In these
instances, external critique must be replaced by internal responsibility and engagement. This is one of
those moments.

The appointment of the Independent Medical Alliance (IMA) to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), under the authority of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, signifies more than a symbolic gesture. It acknowledges, whether explicitly or reluctantly, that the national discourse on immunization policy has long lacked adequate diversity of thought, clinical perspective, and practical experience.