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U.S. National Vaccine Plan

The National Vaccine Plan was developed in 1994 by the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Defense, and Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Agency for International Development, and was coordinated by the National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO). The Plan describes the nation’s 10-year strategy for enhancing vaccine research and development, vaccine safety, informed decision-making by providers and the public, vaccine coverage and supply, and global health.

The 2008 draft strategic National Vaccine Plan is the initial step in updating the 1994 National Vaccine Plan. The NVPO Introduction listed below describes the processes to create the 2008 draft Plan and gather input from non-federal stakeholders to revise this draft into a national Plan.

Draft Documents

2008 Draft Strategic National Vaccine Plan (PDF) (304KB)

Public Comment

Comments received in writing by March 31, 2009 are organized by section of the draft strategic National Vaccine Plan, and then by organization/individual. In keeping with the notices soliciting comments, which provided that all information would be made public, NVPO has listed the name of each organization and the author(s) of each set of comments. Federal Register notices soliciting comment are available here: Comments by January 30; extension to March 31.

1994 National Vaccine Documents

1994 National Vaccine Plan (ZIP - 34MB)
1994 National Vaccine Plan by section

Public Engagement Activities

Public engagement activities are an important part of Plan development and revision. Comments and input from members of the general public; citizen groups; parents; physicians, nurses and other health care providers; public health practitioners; academics; the vaccine industry; and policy makers will contribute to the draft strategic National Vaccine Plan. The National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC), a Federal advisory committee to HHS, is also involved in soliciting broad public input for the draft strategic Plan.

Approaches utilized for public and stakeholder input include:

Written comments - submitted by interested individuals and organizations
Institute of Medicine expert panel convened to engage stakeholders and review priorities
Three all-day dialogues that included a cross-section of the general public from different communities
A February 6, 2009 meeting of the NVAC with stakeholders

Institute of Medicine Review

HHS directed the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine (IOM) to empanel an expert committee to assist in gathering stakeholder input. The committee reviewed the 1994 National Vaccine Plan and provided guidance on the development of the draft strategic Plan The IOM committee also held a series of national meetings focused around each of the goals that yielded important insights and perspectives from a diverse group of stakeholders.

On Dec. 11, 2009, the Institute of Medicine issued a report recommending priorities for the strategic National Vaccine Plan. The recommendations of the IOM will be considered as the Plan is finalized in summer 2010.

Statement from Dr. Bruce Gellin, Director of the National Vaccine Program Office, on the Institute of Medicine report Priorities for the Strategic National Vaccine Plan

'I commend the Institute of Medicine for their insightful recommendations on the National Vaccine Plan released today. The expert panel assembled by the IOM spent nearly two years engaging a broad range of stakeholders to gain insight on priorities for the nation’s vaccine strategy for the next decade, and the National Vaccine Program Office and the Department of Health and Human Services extend their appreciation and gratitude.

This report represents an important midcourse review for the plan, and the Department will thoughtfully consider the report’s recommendations during the next phase of development. As the Plan moves toward finalization in summer 2010, the IOM’s priorities will join the input of many stakeholders as we continue to chart the future of the Nation’s vaccine and immunization enterprise. The Plan and its priorities aim to be national, not just federal, in scope and will set forth a vision for the next decade. We thank the IOM and the expert committee for their efforts to reflect a broad, national perspective in these recommendations.'

To access the report, please visit the IOM site: http://www.iom.edu/vaccineplan

Community Dialogues

HHS representatives and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education developed three public engagement meetings to solicit public input on the National Vaccine Plan. Public engagement meetings took place in St. Louis, Missouri on March 14, 2009; Columbus, Ohio on March 28, 2009; and Syracuse, New York on April 4, 2009. These locations were chosen in order to hear from people in different parts of the country and who may have different perspectives on vaccine and immunization issues.

The meetings included roughly 250 community members in total. Participants were sought through outreach from a variety of community networks, including health care providers, school-based and home-school-based organizations, alternative medicine providers, and the local media. Public meetings lasted a full day and included educational presentations, small group deliberations, and full group discussions. The primary objective was to identify participants’ values and concerns, which contributed to prioritization of scientific activities in the draft strategic National Vaccine Plan.

Watch a video summary of the public meeting in Syracuse, NY.

NVAC Stakeholder Engagement - An Open Meeting

NVAC met in Washington, DC, on February 6, 2009, to hear the results of the public comments received on the Plan by January 30, and met with stakeholders in person and by teleconference. This information assisted their deliberations and recommendations on the draft Plan. The meeting was open to the public and offered significant opportunity for public comment.

Summaries of the February 6, 2009 breakout sessions and lists of participants are available below:

HHS Commitment to Conversation

HHS is committed to obtaining broad public input on vaccines and the immunization enterprise. Since 2000, HHS has sponsored public and stakeholder engagement meetings on vaccine issues, including a session on pandemic influenza to consider priorities for vaccination, community strategies, and protecting vulnerable populations. HHS will seek further opportunities to build trust and transparency in vaccination program policy through additional public outreach.

Comments or questions about the draft Plan should be directed to the National Vaccine Program Office at NVPComments@hhs.gov.