Leading SUnited States medical organisations have issued new guidance on influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus vaccines for the 2026–2027 respiratory virus season, seeking to provide patients and doctors with clear, evidence-based recommendations amid uncertainty over federal vaccination policy.
The recommendations were released on Wednesday by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Infectious Diseases Society of America.
The guidance covers different age groups and circumstances, including children, adults, older people, pregnant women and people with underlying health risks.
The groups said their recommendations were based on reviews of the latest scientific evidence on the effectiveness and safety of vaccines against the three major respiratory viruses.
An independent review released alongside the recommendations found that influenza, COVID-19 and RSV immunisations continue to provide meaningful protection against severe disease, hospitalisation and death.
The review also identified no new safety concerns in the evidence examined since summer 2025.
The COVID-19 evidence review found vaccination was consistently associated with reduced risks of hospitalisation and other serious outcomes, including among higher-risk groups.
For RSV, the review found that immunisation reduced the risk of severe disease and RSV-related hospitalisation, while the safety findings remained consistent with earlier evidence.
The physician organisations said the recommendations were necessary as the federal process for developing vaccine guidance has faced significant disruption.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has undergone major changes under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., while legal challenges have complicated the status of revised federal vaccination recommendations.
AMA President-elect Sandra Adamson Fryhofer said patients needed recommendations that were clear, credible and based on the best available scientific evidence.
The medical groups said the initiative was designed to provide healthcare professionals and the public with a dependable source of information while the federal vaccination policy process remains unsettled.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has also published its 2026–2027 recommendations covering influenza, COVID-19 and RSV immunisation for children and adolescents.
The CDC’s existing 2026–2027 influenza information states that flu vaccines are available for people aged six months and older. The agency has also confirmed that all three components of US seasonal flu vaccines were updated for the new season.
The latest recommendations come as US vaccination rates remain a concern following pandemic-related disruption, misinformation and declining confidence in some vaccines.
The physician groups said access to reliable scientific evidence would be essential in helping patients make informed decisions ahead of the autumn and winter respiratory virus season.
