May 24, 2026
The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM) is pleased to announce the publication of its newest position paper, Adolescent and Young Adult Vaccination.
This updated position paper reaffirms the critical importance of vaccination as one of the most effective public health tools available to protect adolescents and young adults (AYAs) from preventable infectious diseases. Reflecting SAHM’s international perspective and the evolving global vaccine landscape, the paper outlines evidence-based recommendations to strengthen adolescent immunization efforts, improve equitable access to vaccines, and address growing threats posed by misinformation, disinformation, and mistrust in science.
The paper highlights the following core positions:
- Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) should receive all vaccines in accordance with the schedules recommended by national immunization advisory bodies that base their guidance on scientific evidence, or by international bodies when no country-specific recommendations are available.
- Globally, government and professional organizations should promote the establishment of immunization platform visits that incorporate national vaccination recommendations and create the expectation for the delivery of other primary preventive care strategies for AYA.
- Vaccines should be administered in the medical home and in qualified alternative (nonmedical home) settings to optimize access to initial immunizations and subsequent doses of multidose vaccines.
- Evidence-based, multilevel strategies should be used to optimize vaccination consistent with recommended immunization schedules.
- Research and quality improvement initiatives should be conducted to identify and reduce the gap between actual and targeted vaccination rates.
- Vaccination interventions should address inequities and disparities in vaccine access and uptake among marginalized AYAs.
- National and international immunization information systems (IISs) should be developed and implemented to support the coordination and monitoring of AYA immunization data.
- Vaccination advocacy efforts must be pursued that are grounded in science and tailored to individual geographic and cultural contexts to address disinformation, misinformation, and mistrust that lead to vaccination hesitancy.
As the professional organization uniquely focused on adolescent and young adult health, SAHM remains committed to supporting clinicians, researchers, educators, policymakers, and communities in advancing equitable, evidence-based vaccination practices that protect AYAs and the broader public.
We thank the authors and contributors for their leadership and dedication in developing this important publication.