The US is changing the childhood vaccine schedule to require fewer vaccinations
US Department of Health and Human Services he announced major changes in the childhood immunization program on Monday, greatly reducing the number of diseases that US children will continue to be vaccinated against.
Less than- new guidelinesthe US recommends that all children be vaccinated against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, pertussis, tetanus, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus (HPV) and varicella, better known as chickenpox.
Vaccines for all other diseases will now fall into one of two categories: recommended only for certain high-risk groups, or available through “shared clinical decision-making” — the administration’s preferred term for “optional.”
These include vaccinations for hepatitis A and B, rotavirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), bacterial meningitis, influenza and COVID-19. All these pictures have been recommended for all children before.
Insurance companies will still be required to fully cover all childhood vaccines in the CDC program, including those now designated as optional, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine critic, said in a statement that the new program “protects children, honors families, and rebuilds public health trust.”
But pediatricians and public health officials have sharply criticized the change, saying it will lead to more uncertainty for patients and a resurgence of previously controlled infections.
“The decision to weaken the child’s vaccination system is wrong and dangerous,” said Dr. René Bravo, pediatrician and president of the California Medical Assn. “Today’s decision undermines decades of evidence-based public health policy and sends a very confusing message to families at a time when vaccine confidence is already under pressure.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics condemned the changes as “dangerous and unnecessary,” and said it would continue to publish its recommended vaccination schedule. In September, California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii announced that those four states would follow an independent vaccination program based on the recommendations of the AAP and other medical groups.
The federal changes have been expected since December, when President Trump signed the presidential memo ordering the health department to review the childhood immunization program “to be consistent with such scientific evidence and best practices from peers, in developed countries.”
The new US vaccination guidelines are very close to those of Denmark, which usually vaccinates its children against only 10 diseases.
As doctors and public health experts they have revealedDenmark also has a strong state-funded universal healthcare system, a small and homogeneous population, and a unique disease burden.
“The vaccines that are recommended in any country reflect the diseases prevalent in that country,” said Dr. Kelly Gebo, dean of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. “Just because one country has a vaccination program that is perfect for that country, it may not make sense at all” elsewhere.
Almost every pregnant woman in Denmark is tested for hepatitis B, for example. In the US, less than 85% pregnant women are tested for this disease.
Instead, the US relies on universal immunization to protect children whose mothers do not receive adequate prenatal care. Hepatitis B has been nearly eradicated in the US since the vaccine was introduced in 1991. Last month, a panel of Kennedy appointees voted to repeal the CDC’s decades-old recommendation that all newborns be vaccinated against the disease at birth.
“Bacteria and viruses that have been controlled are being released in our most vulnerable areas,” said Dr. James Alwine, an infectious disease physician and member of the nonprofit advocacy group Defend Public Health. “It may take a year or two for the dire consequences to become clear, but this is like asking farmers in North Dakota to grow pineapples. It’s not going to work and it’s not going to end well.”
