U of M Begins Vaccine Protection Project as Federal Support Remains in Flux

U of M Launches Independent Vaccine Integrity Project Amid Federal Instability

A team of health experts is launching an independent initiative that could eventually offer its own vaccine evaluations and guidance—separate from those issued by federal health agencies.

On Thursday, the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) announced the Vaccine Integrity Project, a new effort aimed at safeguarding reliable vaccine information, research, and access, especially in the event that the federal government fails to do so.

“Our first, second, and third choice is to have our federal government do its job,” said CIDRAP Director and infectious disease expert Dr. Michael Osterholm. “But if that doesn’t happen, there has to be alternative voices out here that are based on the science.”

The move comes amid increasing uncertainty about the direction of federal vaccine policy. Osterholm cited concerns about Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., known for his history of vaccine skepticism, and a recent disruption in the federal vaccine advisory process, including a delayed and rescheduled meeting.

The Vaccine Integrity Project begins with an eight-member steering committee currently in its information-gathering phase. It includes a wide range of experts—state public health officials, academics, and representatives from vaccine manufacturers. The committee is co-chaired by former FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg and health policy scholar Dr. Harvey Fineberg.

Although the project plans to engage with a broad spectrum of voices in the vaccine space, no current officials from federal health agencies like the CDC or FDA are directly involved.

“We will surely hear messaging from those who work with them, but there’s no one from CDC or FDA involved with the steering committee or the activities we have right now,” Osterholm noted.

While still early in its development, the project could take on a wide range of roles depending on what the steering committee determines. Potential activities include producing independent vaccine evaluations, issuing clinical guidelines, and publishing assessments of federal decisions and communications—especially if inconsistencies or gaps are identified.

“We do not want to get ahead of our headlights,” Osterholm said. “We’re committed to hearing from all of those who have an important role in the vaccine enterprise.”

The project launches with an initial $240,000 grant from Alumbra, a foundation founded by philanthropist Christy Walton, and will seek further funding as its scope evolves.

Osterholm acknowledged that creating a parallel vaccine guidance body is not something he would have considered in the past. But recent political developments and public health uncertainty have prompted a shift.

“It’s hard to know what is going to happen the next day in public health,” he said. “We have to be open to whatever could come down the pike, and it’s going to be challenging.”