Society for Medical Decision Making

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) plays a central role in shaping U.S. vaccine policy by issuing recommendations that influence clinical and public health practice. In this panel, former ACIP members and workgroup participants, including Dr. Kevin Alt, Veronica McNally, and Henry Bernstein, will discuss the structure and function of the ACIP and the role of diverse stakeholder input in shaping policy. Moderated by Dr. Abram Wagner, the session will begin with a brief overview of ACIP operations followed by a discussion of how scientific, economic, and societal factors converge in the committee’s deliberations. The panel will also address how ACIP navigates new challenges in a shifting political and public health landscape. 

Learning objectives:
• Describe the role and structure of the ACIP in U.S. vaccine policy-making.
• Explain how the ACIP incorporates cost-effectiveness analyses and other forms of evidence into its decision-making.
• Identify the types of stakeholder input that influence ACIP recommendations.
• Discuss key challenges the ACIP faces in the current political and public health environment.

Faculty:
 

Kevin A. Ault, MD, is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist. He is a professor in the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (WMed). He served as department chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at WMed from 2022-2024. He is a graduate of Butler University and Indiana University School of Medicine, both in Indianapolis, Indiana. He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. He is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and a Fellow of the Infectious Disease Society of America. His clinical and research interests include women’s health and infectious diseases.

Dr Henry (Hank) Bernstein is a Professor of Pediatrics at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in New York, USA. He taps into his extensive 40–year experience as a general pediatrician in private practice, the National Health Service Corps, and as Chief of General Academic Pediatrics at urban, suburban, and rural children’s hospitals to promote the health and well-being of children, their families, and their communities. His private, community-based primary care (generalist) experiences in combination with academic leadership responsibilities have provided him with a value-added, translational science
perspective, unique from many others in academia. This tacit knowledge enables him to fulfil a lifelong passion of communicating, educating, and translating science into clinical settings, educational venues, policymaking, and media interactions to advance the health of children.

Veronica McNally is a licensed attorney and the Director of Trial Advocacy & Externships at Michigan State University College of Law, where she mentors aspiring lawyers and oversees experiential learning opportunities. She served as the Consumer Representative on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) from 2018 to 2023. In 2024, she was appointed to serve as an attorney advisor on the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines (ACCV) for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). As the president of the Franny Strong Foundation, she advocates for vaccine-preventable disease awareness and vaccination. She founded the I Vaccinate Campaign at ivaccinate.org, a public-private partnership with the state of Michigan. In 2018, she earned the CDC Childhood Immunization Champion award. With her legal expertise and public health advocacy, McNally is dedicated to fostering impactful change in both fields.

Moderated by:
 

Dr. Abram Wagner is a global health epidemiologist whose research focuses on respiratory viral infections and vaccine-preventable diseases. He leads studies on COVID-19, influenza, measles, and HPV, with a particular interest in understanding vaccine hesitancy and optimizing strategies for the rollout of new vaccines. His work combines infectious disease surveillance with survey methodology to evaluate health behaviors and communication effectiveness. Dr. Wagner has led vaccine acceptance research and seroepidemiologic studies in the United States, China, and Indonesia, and collaborates with international and domestic partners to improve vaccine education and policy. He is also deeply involved in training public health scholars, including international trainees and students engaged in global health internships through the University of Michigan.

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Registration is complimentary and is open to all.