NASEM unveils framework for equitable vaccine distribution; AHA and AAMC praise ‘sensible, well-considered’ plan

The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine today released A Framework for Equitable Allocation of Vaccine for the Novel Coronavirus to assist and guide the federal government and decision-making bodies, including the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, as well as state, tribal, local and territorial authorities in their COVID-19 vaccine allocation planning. The report establishes four phases of distribution, with equity a crosscutting consideration.

AHA, which submitted comments on NASEM’s draft of the report, today in a joint statement with the Association of American Medical Colleges praised the final framework as “sensible, well-considered, and most importantly, an equitable way to distribute a vaccine to all Americans.”

The organizations added that steps must be taken to overcome public mistrust.

“The AHA and AAMC strongly urge federal, state, and local government agencies, along with doctors, nurses, and hospitals and health systems, to deploy resources now to engage communities, build trust, create partnerships, and develop the bidirectional communication channels necessary to orient the vaccination effort toward success,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack and AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, M.D.