AAP leaders have called for elimination of religious exemptions to vaccination to be the top priority for the year, ranking it first among the top 10 resolutions during the Annual Leadership Forum (ALF).
“Given the measles outbreaks, prioritizing the elimination of religious vaccine exemptions is a timely undertaking,” said AAP President Kyle E. Yasuda, M.D., FAAP.
The resolution asks the Academy’s Board of Directors to advocate for the “development of a toolkit that highlights successful chapter strategies for the purpose of helping chapters work with their state legislatures to eliminate/reduce religious exemptions that have allowed immunization refusals.”
Following are the top 10 resolutions:
- Eliminating Religious Exemptions to Vaccinating Children
- Family Separations at the Border: Safeguarding Children’s Health
- Limitation of Prior Authorization Requirements
- Continuity of Medicaid Benefits When Children Move
- Access to Evidence-Based Treatment for Children and Adolescents With Neurodevelopmental Disorders Beyond Autism
- Affordable Insulin Access for all Children With Diabetes
- Revising the AAP Bright Futures Guidelines on Gun Safety Anticipatory Guidance
- Drowning Prevention Recommendation Statement and Education
- Providing Guidance on School Response to E-cigarette Use by Students
- Public Education About Intramuscular Vitamin K Administration at Birth
The ALF brings together chapter, committee, council and section leaders from around the country, drawing on their diverse perspectives and expertise to advise the AAP Board of Directors. The event also provides leadership education and promotes networking and understanding of AAP priorities.
Prior to the forum, AAP groups and members submitted resolutions for consideration, and members were able to comment on them online.
Look to the May issue of AAP News for more on the top 10 resolutions and the 2019 ALF.