ECRI advocates for evidence-based approach to childhood vaccine recommendations
ECRI recently submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in response to an HHS Request for Information seeking input on the “Categories Used in Federal Vaccine Recommendations and the Role of Shared Clinical Decision-Making.”
ECRI’s comments on Docket No. HHS-OS-2026-0332 emphasize that vaccine guidance should remain grounded in the best available scientific evidence.
This follows ECRI’s evidence review published in August of 2026 after the White House issued an executive order modifying recommendations for the vaccine schedule for children.
ECRI reinforced that the primary goal of any vaccine timing and frequency recommendations should be to preserve protection against vaccine-preventable diseases while helping patients, parents, and clinicians understand the rationale for recommended administration windows. Any decisions to modify them should be supported by transparent review of high-quality scientiï¬c evidence and consideration of both individual and population-level health outcomes.
Additional ECRI Insights on the Safety of Vaccines
- Preventable Acute Diseases Are Rising: What Healthcare Leaders Need to Know | A Top Ten Patient Safety Concern of 2026
- Vaccination is Not Associated with Autism | ECRI CEO statement following concerning updates published on the CDC website (November 2025)
- Fighting the Viral Spread of Medical Misinformation: Empowering Patients through Health Literacy | A Top Ten Patient Safety Concern of 2025
- How To: Safe Administration of Vaccines