About PhRMA
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, which are laser focused on developing innovative medicines that transform lives and create a healthier world. Together, we are fighting for solutions to ensure patients can access and afford medicines that prevent, treat and cure disease. Over the last decade, PhRMA member companies have invested more than $850 billion in the search for new treatments and cures, and they support nearly five million jobs in the United States.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 5, 2026) — Today, Dr. Mike Ybarra, an emergency physician and PhRMA’s Chief Medical Officer, released the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ announcement changing the childhood immunization schedule:
“Today’s changes to the childhood vaccine schedule are not in the best interest of American families and add further confusion for parents and health care providers navigating an already complex system.
“America’s childhood vaccine schedule was built on decades of rigorous, country-specific evidence and protects U.S. children against serious and potentially life-threatening diseases,” Ybarra continued. “It reflects the realities of a large, diverse and highly mobile population and has helped prevent millions of illnesses and deaths while saving trillions in health care costs. Vaccine policy should be developed based on a transparent, science-driven process, not by copying other nations.”