The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is about to make an important decision that could impact millions of Americans—and this time, it could be good news. Later this month, ACIP is expected to vote on whether to lower the age for routine pneumococcal vaccination from 65 to 50. This move could save lives, expand healthcare access, and, most importantly, restore goodwill between the American people and the public health establishment.

Vaccines have been one of the greatest success stories in public health. They have helped eliminate diseases, protect vulnerable populations, and increase life expectancy across the globe. In the 20th century, the U.S. worked feverishly to develop vaccines for various deadly diseases, including polio, smallpox, and measles. Thanks to mass immunization campaigns, by the year 2000, measles, once a common childhood illness with severe complications, was declared eliminated in the U.S. This achievement underscores how widely administered vaccines can nearly eradicate even the most contagious diseases, safeguarding future generations.

The role of ACIP in this success cannot be overstated. They are a group of medical and public health experts who meet regularly to develop recommendations for using vaccines and........

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