About PhRMA
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading innovative biopharmaceutical research companies, which are laser focused on developing innovative medicines that transform lives and create a healthier world. Together, we are fighting for solutions to ensure patients can access and afford medicines that prevent, treat and cure disease. Over the last decade, PhRMA member companies have invested more than $850 billion in the search for new treatments and cures, and they support nearly five million jobs in the United States.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 9, 2025) – Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) president and CEO Stephen J. Ubl issued the following statement on the recommendations from today’s “Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy:”
“We welcome the Trump administration’s commitment to tackling chronic disease in children and support the administration’s goal to end the chronic disease epidemic. Our industry is committed to harnessing the best data, evidence and tools like artificial intelligence to safely expedite the research, development and review of medicines.
“It’s concerning however that the report casts doubt on the very things that have helped protect and improve health for generations. Americans should have access to every option at their disposal to safeguard the well-being of children—including medicines and vaccines that prevent and treat disease. Undermining these advances risks reversing decades of progress. That’s why we need a comprehensive approach to make America healthier: one that prioritizes prevention, early intervention and the continued availability of safe, effective treatments when people need them.”
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As you cover this report, please consider the following information:
- The value of vaccines: In the early 20th century, nearly one in five children died before age five, often from now-preventable infectious diseases. Thanks to American innovation and rigorous science, vaccines remain essential for saving lives, protecting families and maintaining U.S. leadership in global health. To prevent the resurgence of currently controlled diseases, we must ensure continued access to vaccines while providing accurate, clear and transparent information to maintain high vaccination rates.
- Root causes of autism: Parents understandably want clear answers about the causes of autism, but decades of studies involving more than a million children have consistently shown no link between vaccines and autism. Scientists continue to study its root causes, but rising diagnoses are largely due to better screening, broader criteria and increased awareness—not vaccination. Moreover, a publicly funded peer-reviewed journal found no connection between cumulative aluminum exposure from vaccines in early childhood and 50 chronic conditions, including autoimmune diseases, allergies, and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD.
- “Overmedicalization” of children: Prescription medications are an important option for health care providers, parents and caregivers to consider as part of a comprehensive treatment plan customized to fit a child’s unique needs and condition. For those who need them, medicines have changed the course of mental illnesses like major depressive disorder, anxiety and ADHD to name a few. Medications can help improve a child’s ability to function at school, maintain relationships and enjoy daily life when prescribed and taken appropriately. The idea that children are broadly overprescribed mental health medications is misleading; in fact, because of poor reimbursement for mental health providers and restrictions by health plans, many patients with mental illness often do not receive professional help for their symptoms and remain undiagnosed and untreated.
- Direct-to-consumer (DTC) Advertising: DTC advertising provides patients with important fact-based, useful and accessible information about potential treatment options. PhRMA’s member companies are committed to responsible, accurate advertising that helps Americans make informed decisions about their health care in consultation with their doctor.