President Trump directed HHS and the CDC to evaluate the scientific evidence of childhood vaccinations in other peer, developed nations.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reduced the number of childhood immunizations from an estimated 18 to 11.
Vaccines that remain recommended for all children include immunizations against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, pertussis, tetanus, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus (HPV) and chickenpox.
Some that are no longer universally recommended include shots for RSV, flu, COVID-19, hepatitis and meningococcal disease.
All CDC-recommended vaccines will remain fully covered by insurance without cost-sharing, the CDC said.
The CDC recommends three categories of vaccines: vaccines for all children, vaccines for certain high-risk groups and vaccines based on shared clinical decision-making.
WHY THIS MATTERS
On Dec. 5, 2025, in a Presidential Memorandum, President Donald Trump directed the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and the acting director of CDC to examine how peer, developed nations structure their childhood vaccination schedules. HHS and the CDC were also directed to evaluate the scientific evidence underlying these practices.
After consulting with health ministries of peer nations, considering the assessment’s findings and reviewing the decision memo presented by National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Food and Drug Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill formally accepted the recommendations and directed the CDC to move forward with implementation.
“After reviewing the evidence, I signed a decision memorandum accepting the assessment’s recommendations,” O’Neill said. “The data support a more focused schedule that protects children from the most serious infectious diseases while improving clarity, adherence, and public confidence.”
“President Trump directed us to examine how other developed nations protect their children and to take action if they are doing better,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “After an exhaustive review of the evidence, we are aligning the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule with international consensus while strengthening transparency and informed consent. This decision protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health.”
The assessment reviewed 20 peer, developed nations and found that the U.S. is a global outlier among developed nations in both the number of diseases addressed in its routine childhood vaccination schedule and the total number of recommended doses.
Many peer nations said higher vaccination rates were better achieved through public trust and education rather than mandates.
For example, in 2024, the U.S. recommended more childhood vaccines than any peer nation, and more than twice as many doses as some European nations. At the lower end is Denmark, which immunizes children against 10 diseases compared to a total number of 18 diseases in the U.S. in 2024.
THE LARGER TREND
HHS and the CDC will work with state health agencies, physician groups and other partners on next steps and implementation and will educate parents and clinicians on the updated immunization schedules.
ON THE RECORD
The Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease said: “No new safety signals, disease trends, or clinical findings have emerged that would warrant narrowing routine recommendations. Replacing an evidence-driven U.S. framework with one modeled on foreign practice disregards American disease patterns, healthcare access, and population size and risk. Reclassifying vaccines for highly contagious diseases such as RSV, hepatitis A and B, and the flu risks squandering decades of American investments and reversing domestic victories against deadly illnesses.”
Email the writer: [email protected]
link