Recommended childhood immunizations in the United States are slated to drop from 17 to 11 under a new executive order signed by President Trump. This policy shift seeks to align federal childhood vaccine recommendations with those used in Denmark, a move first signaled by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in January.
Massive reduction in recommended immunizations
The proposed overhaul would see the total number of recommended shots decrease significantly. Specifically, the plan walks back recommendations for several critical immunizations, including rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B. This alignment follows a December executive order intended to match US standards with "best practices from peer, developed countries."
Medical community warns of scientific gaps
American Medical Association (AMA) President Bobby Mukkamala has publicly challenged the scientific basis for the change. The AMA argues that there is no credible evidence to support modeling US policy after Denmark, noting that the current US schedule is built on decades of research tailored to the specific disease burden within the United States. Critics point out that Denmark's population and healthcare landscape differ fundamentally from the US, making direct policy modeling problematic for protecting American children during their most vulnerable stages.
This policy shift marks a fundamental departure from long-standing US public health protocols and sets the stage for a significant change in how pediatric preventative care is managed nationwide.
Source: Doctors blast Trump for doubling down on vaccine policy modeled after Denmark
Domain: arstechnica.com
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