David Higgins, MD, MPH, FAAP

This year, radical changes to federal vaccine policy and recommendations have fragmented and destabilized the U.S. vaccination ecosystem that has safeguarded generations from life-threatening vaccine-preventable diseases. These changes include the dismantling of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the removal of independent scientific advisors, and the bypassing of long-standing vaccine review and approval processes.

The consequences are visible in exam rooms. Parents and patients are asking whether vaccines are still recommended, covered, or even safe, and clinicians are trying to reconcile conflicting messages. Outside clinics, communities are facing reduced access, and politics, misinformation, and uncertainty are eroding confidence.

Fortunately, Colorado is not standing still in the face of this uncertainty. Physicians, health departments, policymakers, and vaccine advocates are collaborating statewide to protect evidence-based guidance and ensure every Coloradan has the ability to choose vaccination.

Professional societies and community organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, Immunize Colorado and the Colorado Medical Society, among many others, have long championed vaccines in Colorado and continue to collaborate and coordinate their responses. These groups are building on their past successes and partnering with new initiatives such as the Colorado Chooses Vaccines alliance and regional coalition efforts to sustain a unified, evidence-based approach to vaccination in Colorado.

Colorado lawmakers are also taking decisive action. In June, two landmark bills were signed into law (SB25-196 and HB25-1027) that aim to preserve access to vaccines in the face of federal rollbacks and keep state regulations in line with best practices. Additionally, state leaders recently took steps to ensure the continued availability of COVID-19 vaccines by authorizing pharmacists to administer them without a prescription. These examples demonstrate the initiative and responsiveness of Colorado’s leaders in countering federal actions that weaken vaccine availability. 

However, there is much more work ahead, and no single organization, agency, or profession can do it alone. The disruption of federal vaccine policy leaves gaps in vaccine financing, supply, administration, and communication that span often siloed professionals and communities. The model where professional associations, health organizations, and community coalitions share responsibility for filling gaps in federal guidance is challenging, but community health is a shared responsibility.

Sustaining vaccine access and confidence in the months ahead will require a coordinated effort on several fronts, including protecting access, maintaining confidence, and ensuring vaccines reach every community.

To protect access, Colorado must continue strengthening its vaccine financing systems, ensuring predictable reimbursement and stable supply chains. The Vaccines for Children Program (VFC), which covers nearly half of Colorado’s children, must remain fully supported and insulated from federal uncertainty, as disruptions would immediately cause access gaps. Physicians and health systems also require clarity on the legal framework governing vaccine administration, coverage, and liability to confidently stock and administer vaccines.

Maintaining confidence requires clear, consistent, and credible communication from national and state vaccination leaders all the way down to the front lines of care. Colorado’s public health and professional leaders must fill the federal void with unified, science-based information that both clinicians and families can trust. This means coordinated public communication and transparent decision-making. Colorado must invest in its communication infrastructure to quickly adapt and deliver accurate information in real-time.

Finally, the ability to choose to vaccinate should not depend on where a person lives, insurance status, or access to community resources. Protecting every Coloradan means ensuring that no community is left behind. Rural and underserved communities, which are most vulnerable to disruptions in vaccine policy, must remain fully included in outreach and policymaking.

Protecting community health is not the work of one profession or organization; it is the shared calling of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, public health officials, educators, and community leaders. By working together across disciplines and communities, Colorado can continue to build trust from the ground up and make sure vaccine policy is rooted in science and centered on better health for all.

David Higgins, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a general pediatrician, preventive medicine specialist, and health services researcher who has practiced in urban and rural settings in Colorado and Montana. He strives to improve child and adolescent health through innovative, community-based interventions, with a particular focus on vaccine delivery.