CIDRAP Director Michael Osterholm recognized for defending vaccine science
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has awarded its 2026 Anthony Fauci Courage in Leadership Award to Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) Director Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH, for his commitment to scientific integrity and advocating for an evidence-based approach to public health. But the University of Minnesota epidemiologist says the recognition belongs to a much larger group.
“As much as this award had my name on it, it really should have had many people’s names on it,” says Osterholm.
IDSA highlighted Osterholm’s work establishing the Vaccine Integrity Project (VIP). The initiative evaluates vaccine evidence to help medical organizations, clinicians, and the public make informed decisions—work that has taken on greater urgency amid disruptions to federal vaccine policymaking under Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Specifically, Kennedy dismissed all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in late spring 2025. Established in 1964, ACIP served as the primary, independent, evidence-based advisory body to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and HHS on vaccine policy in the United States
“Because of the demise of ACIP, we’ve created a whole new structure to be able to provide the medical community and the general public with definitive evidence on how well our vaccines work, how they protect us, and what the potential safety issues are,” says Osterholm.
Shared credit
Osterholm singled out former CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, CIDRAP strategy and operations lead Sherri Berger, MSPH, and CIDRAP Director of Media Relations and Public Affairs Kevin Griffis for the leadership, and the entire VIP and CIDRAP team for their outstanding efforts. Twelve medical researchers from around the country also actively participated in the project. “This has been an amazing team effort,” he says.
He also credited Christy Walton’s early philanthropic support, and University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham, MD, with providing unequivocal institutional backing. Sandra Fryhofer, MD, president-elect of the American Medical Association for 2026–27 has been “absolutely critical” to the effort, says Osterholm. “She’s been a tremendous leader.”
He also recognized the editorial teams at the New England Journal of Medicine and Pediatrics for helping bring complex evidence reviews to publication quickly.
For Osterholm, those contributions reflect a shared determination to protect public health. “This is about our kids and grandkids,” he says. “And failure just cannot be an option.”
