WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Trump administration has dramatically revised the United States’ childhood immunization schedule, scaling back routine vaccine recommendations in a move that has drawn fierce criticism from medical and public health experts.
The overhaul, announced on Monday by the US Department of Health and Human Services, means children will no longer be universally recommended to receive vaccines against diseases such as rotavirus and seasonal influenza — shots that have long been credited with sharply reducing childhood illness and hospitalisation.
Instead, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will advise that vaccines for rotavirus, influenza, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and meningococcal disease be administered only to select high-risk groups or when parents and doctors agree they are necessary, rather than as standard practice for all children.
The policy shift follows the appointment of long-time vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary and represents one of the most significant changes to US vaccine guidance in decades.
At the end of 2024, the CDC recommended 17 routine pediatric immunizations. Under the revised guidance, that number has dropped to 11.
The agency had already moved to a similar “shared decision-making” approach for Covid-19 vaccines in 2025.
President Donald Trump praised the changes, saying they answered long-standing calls from conservative activists and online influencers, including the so-called “MAHA Moms,” who support Kennedy’s views on vaccines.
“These are common-sense reforms that families have been praying for,” Trump said in a message celebrating the decision.
However, his remarks followed social media posts containing claims about vaccine safety that contradict established scientific consensus.
The administration says the new guidance was shaped by a directive issued by Trump last month instructing health officials to compare the US vaccine schedule with those of peer countries abroad — particularly Denmark.
The revised recommendations now more closely resemble Denmark’s approach.
“After an exhaustive review of the evidence, we are aligning the US childhood vaccine schedule with international consensus while strengthening transparency and informed consent,” Kennedy said in a statement. “This decision protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health.”
But medical professionals strongly dispute that characterisation.
Sean O’Leary, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases, said the US vaccine schedule is among the most rigorously studied public health tools available.
“It is one of the most thoroughly researched tools we have to protect children from serious, sometimes deadly diseases,” O’Leary said, warning that comparisons with other countries ignore major differences in health systems and disease risks.
Researchers from the University of Minnesota’s Vaccine Integrity Project also challenged the administration’s reliance on Denmark as a benchmark, noting that the US was already broadly aligned with global vaccine norms.
They described Denmark as an outlier rather than a standard, citing its small population, centralized healthcare system, low disease prevalence and strong social safety nets — conditions they said “do not apply to the United States, not even close.”
Political pushback has also emerged from within Trump’s own party.
Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican physician whose vote was crucial in confirming Kennedy’s appointment last year, said altering vaccine guidance without clear scientific justification would have dangerous consequences.
“Changing the pediatric vaccine schedule based on no scientific input on safety risks and little transparency will cause unnecessary fear for patients and doctors,” Cassidy said, warning that the move would ultimately “make America sicker.”
While individual US states retain the authority to mandate vaccinations, CDC recommendations typically carry significant weight in shaping state policies and school immunization requirements.
Federal officials sought to reassure the public that access to vaccines would not be restricted.
“All vaccines currently recommended by CDC will remain covered by insurance without cost sharing,” said Mehmet Oz, administrator of federal health insurance programs. “No family will lose access.”
But public health experts argue the revised guidance will fuel confusion at a time when vaccine skepticism remains high following the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This just makes things more confusing for parents and clinicians,” O’Leary said. “Tragically, our federal government can no longer be trusted to provide vaccine recommendations.”
