Ms. Cynthia Goss
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (Health Policy)
Performing the Delegable Duties of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20201
Re: Docket No. HHS-OS-2026-0332
Dear Ms. Goss:
The 33 undersigned organizations represent public health, older adults, patients, family
caregivers, consumers, physicians, and other health care providers who are committed to
ensuring access to vaccines for all Americans and raising awareness about the importance of
vaccination in individual and public health.
We appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Request for Information: Categories Used in Federal Vaccine Recommendations and the Role of Shared Clinical Decision-Making.
While we support the efforts to improve public understanding of vaccine recommendations,
strengthen communication, and maintain and increase public trust, we also strongly believe that:
• No additional categories for vaccine recommendations should be adopted and current
recommendations based on shared clinical decision-making (SCDM) should be
reconsidered, and possibly removed, if found to impede access.
• Continued communication efforts to improve public understanding and trust of vaccines
are critical and should be prioritized at every level of the healthcare continuum.
• Access to vaccines at zero-dollar cost sharing should be maintained for all Americans.
• The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) should remain the venue for
vaccine recommendations and any reforms should build upon, rather than circumvent, the
existing ACIP.
Click here to read the letter.