IDSA and HIVMA Welcome Administration’s Commitment to Bolstering Monkeypox Testing and Vaccination 

Increasing access to monkeypox testing and expanding vaccination against infection to people at high risk are needed and welcome steps in efforts to control spread and minimize symptoms.

While increasing vaccination is crucial, IDSA and HIVMA are concerned that the current supply of Jynneos vaccine is not enough to control the virus’s spread. The Administration’s efforts to increase its supply are appreciated, but an even more rapid scale-up is urgently needed.

The Biden Administration’s decision to make an older vaccine, ACAM2000, available despite its higher side effect profile compared to Jynneos is understandable given vaccine supply challenges. Nevertheless, the Administration and Congress must do all they can to ensure that communities have the necessary resources and preferred vaccine to combat this virus. This includes ensuring health departments and local care providers have the funding and tools to conduct vaccination and testing campaigns. In addition, jurisdictions that opt to use ACAM2000 will require resources to conduct the critical training and education needed for this vaccine due to its risk of adverse effects, particularly in certain populations such as people with compromised immune systems.

Daniel P. McQuillen, MD, FIDSA – President, Infectious Diseases Society of America

Marwan Haddad, MD, MPH – Chair, HIV Medicine Association

About IDSA and HIVMA 
IDSA is a leader on issues of importance to ID professionals, including education and training, policy and advocacy, setting guidelines for patient care, and developing resources for clinical practice. It remains at the forefront of global health issues such as COVID-19, antimicrobial resistance and HIV/AIDS. Housed within IDSA is the HIV Medicine Association, (HIVMA) which represents medical providers and researchers working on the front lines of HIV. More than 12,000 IDSA and HIVMA members work across the United States and in nearly 100 other countries on six different continents. For more information visit  www.idsociety.org. Follow IDSA on Facebook and Twitter.