The 317 Coalition was formed in April 2006 by a group of leaders in the immunization community, including non-profit immunization advocacy organizations, academic and provider institutions, professional associations, and vaccine manufacturers.
This coalition is solely focused on advocating for increased 317 funding, and as such will focus on implementing the policies of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and other relevant policy making bodies. It in no way makes or attempts to influence immunization policy.
The mission of the coalition is to educate Members of Congress about the needs of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention immunization program, and advocate for increased federal appropriations to ensure that children and adults can receive recommended vaccines to protect them from disease. As new vaccines have become available since 2000, the 317 program has steadily been losing ground in its ability to ensure that underinsured children can receive recommended vaccines. During this recent period, the cost of providing new vaccines has forced the program to reduce the number of children assisted by more than half. Furthermore, the 317 program has never been able to adequately fund adult immunization programs that protect seniors and others from common diseases such as seasonal influenza that claim tens of thousands of lives each year. The CDC recently submitted a report to Congress indicating that almost $1.6 billion, an increase of over $1.1 billion, is needed for the 317 Program in order to keep pace with new vaccines, expanded vaccine recommendations, operational and administrative funding needs, and enhanced vaccine safety activities.
The 317 coalition is a virtual network of organizations, led by a steering committee, and staffed by a Washington D.C.- based government relations firm. The coalition has become a resource for member organizations to share data and information about the needs of the national immunization program for advocacy purposes. It is also a vehicle for smaller state and local organizations who do not have resources to follow Capitol Hill on a daily basis, to receive free action alerts, talking points, information, and tips on how and when to engage their Congressional delegation in support of increased funding for immunization programs. The coalition seeks to continually recruit national, state and local organizations with an interest in child and adult immunization to expand an effective grass roots advocacy network to as many state and Congressional districts as possible. There is no cost to join the coalition.