New Jersey has reshaped its vaccine policy to rely on guidance from multiple professional health care bodies beyond the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine panel. The legislation, signed by former Governor Murphy, requires the state Department of Health to consider guidance from nationally recognized medical organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American College of Physicians.
Until now, the New Jersey Department of Health relied solely on the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for vaccine guidance. The change responds to controversial federal vaccine decisions, such as voting to end the universal recommendation for hepatitis B and COVID-19 vaccination. According to Murphy’s statement, the federal government has “diverged and waffled on evidence-based recommendations from trusted health professionals,” rewriting federal vaccine guidance to the detriment of communities and putting vulnerable residents at risk, particularly children.
The revised rule does not add new vaccination requirements for school attendance. The legislation takes effect immediately and was passed largely along party lines. Additionally, the legislation requires health insurers to cover the full cost of vaccines recommended by the New Jersey Department of Health, expanding patient access. Debbie Hart, president and CEO of BioNJ, a trade group representing over 400 life science organizations in New Jersey, said the policy change ensures that New Jersey can benefit from the recommendations of highly regarded experts across the country.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://us.headtopics.com/news/n-j-reshapes-its-vaccine-policy-after-controversial-78701093