Science first. Sources matter.
Trust has to be earned.
What ACIC means by a trusted source
A trusted source is not simply a familiar name or a commonly used website. For ACIC, a trusted clinical or public health source should meet one or more of the following standards:
- Grounded in peer-reviewed science
- Based on transparent evidence review
- Issued by a credible professional medical organization
- Issued by a public health agency with relevant local, state, or national authority
- Useful for clinical care, patient education, vaccine access, or public health implementation
- Clear about limitations, updates, and areas where guidance may differ
ACIC does not treat sponsor messaging, unsourced commentary, social media claims, personal belief, or outdated materials as clinical evidence.
How ACIC chooses sources
ACIC uses the best source for the specific question. No single organization is the best source for every vaccine topic.
- Children and adolescents: pediatric and infectious disease expertise matters.
- Pregnancy: obstetric and maternal-fetal medicine expertise matters.
- Adults: primary care, infectious disease, and risk-based guidance matter.
- Local access: county and state public health resources matter.
- VISs and translations: official VIS sources and translation resources matter.
- Vaccine safety questions: sources must explain both evidence and limitations carefully.
This approach helps ACIC avoid overreliance on any one source and keeps content aligned with the relevant clinical or public health question