CHICAGO, IL / ACCESS Newswire / April 6, 2026 / On April 15, ACOFP, in collaboration with sponsors Sanofi and Merck, will gather 25 osteopathic family physicians in Orlando, Florida, for a focused Disease Prevention Summit. This three-hour thought leadership session will bring together clinicians from across the country to address emerging challenges in vaccine confidence, access, and disease prevention in primary care. The summit is being held in conjunction with ACOFP's 63rd Annual Convention & Scientific Seminars.
Evolving attitudes toward vaccines, the widespread circulation of misinformation, and persistent barriers to access continue to complicate efforts to protect public health. Family physicians often serve as the first and most consistent point of contact for patients navigating these issues. Their long-term relationships with patients and role as trusted advisors place them at the center of conversations about vaccination and disease prevention.
Osteopathic family physicians bring an additional dimension to this work through the profession's whole-person philosophy. By considering the physical, social, and emotional factors that influence health decisions, osteopathic physicians are well positioned to address concerns related to vaccine hesitancy.
To help inform the summit discussions, ACOFP recently conducted a member survey exploring physicians' current experiences with vaccine confidence, communication strategies, and access challenges within their practices. Insights from this survey will serve as a foundation for the meeting and ensure the conversation reflects the realities physicians encounter every day in clinical settings.
Key topics covered during the summit will include:
Overcoming Vaccine Hesitancy and Misinformation
Cost and Coverage as Barriers to Vaccination
Staffing and Workflow Challenges in Vaccine Administration
Access and Availability of Vaccines
After small group discussion, all participants will come together to discuss how DOs can be better equipped to be strong vaccine advocates. Following the summit, the thought leaders will collaborate on a report summarizing key insights, challenges, and actionable strategies identified during the session. ACOFP aims to translate these insights immediately, to support the emergent issues family physicians are facing in their everyday practice. The outcomes are anticipated to include promotion of vaccine guidelines and multi-channel educational resources to help family physicians promote vaccinations and address vaccine hesitancy.
About the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
Founded in 1950, the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) is a community of more than 25,000 current and future family physicians that champions osteopathic principles and supports its members by providing resources such as education, networking and advocacy, while putting patients first. ACOFP empowers its members with education and resources that allow them to adapt to new models of care and to quickly changing government policy. For more information, visit acofp.org.
Contact
Emily Bennett
emilyb@acofp.org
(847) 952-5100
SOURCE: ACOFP
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/american-college-of-osteopathic-family-physicians-convenes-experts-fo-1154043
