09/29/2026
OSMA Endorses 2026 Child & Adolescent Vaccine Schedule Recommended by American Academy of Pediatrics
As Ohio families begin a new school year and prepare for the upcoming influenza season, childhood immunization has taken on renewed importance. The resurgence of measles across the United States, including cases here in Ohio, offers a timely reminder of the important role vaccines continue to play in protecting children, families and communities from preventable disease.
Against this backdrop, the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA) affirms and endorses the 2026 recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedule published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). This position is consistent with policy adopted by the OSMA House of Delegates earlier this year supporting evidence-based immunization practices. |
AAP routinely reviews and revises this schedule on an annual basis to ensure it reflects current evidence-based recommendations for the use of vaccines licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In developing its recommendations, AAP uses a robust system to evaluate evidence, review vaccine safety data, and consider the epidemiology and impact of infectious diseases in the United States, as well as the ability of vaccines to prevent those diseases and their complications.
The 2026 AAP vaccine recommendations do not differ significantly from the 2025 AAP recommendations, but they do diverge from the schedule issued this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
OSMA joins a broad coalition of national medical organizations supporting the 2026 AAP immunization schedule, which has also been formally endorsed by:
- American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS)
- Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)
- National Medical Association (NMA)
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS)
- Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM)
AAP also recently publicized its participation in an independent evidence review to inform specific recommendations for respiratory virus immunizations, alongside the AMA, the Vaccine Integrity Project, AAFP, ACOG and IDSA. The latest scientific evidence from this review found that immunizations against respiratory illnesses including influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 continue to provide meaningful protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death. Researchers also found no new safety concerns in comparative studies during this review.
The importance of maintaining strong childhood immunization rates is particularly clear this year. As of September 17, more than 3,400 confirmed measles cases had been reported across the United States in 2026, including over 180 cases in Ohio. The resurgence of a disease that was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000 underscores the continuing importance of vaccination and access to credible, evidence-based guidance.
Moving forward, OSMA will continue to work with the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Ohio Department of Health and other interested parties to encourage Ohio schools to adhere to evidence-based best practices as they pertain to childhood and adolescent vaccines.
Ohio physicians remain an important and trusted resource for parents navigating decisions about their children’s health. OSMA wants families to have access to the most credible scientific information available regarding vaccine recommendations and encourages parents with questions about vaccines to talk with their pediatrician or other primary care physician.