Trump SLASHES Childhood Vaccines — Medical Groups FURIOUS

The Trump administration just slashed recommended childhood vaccines from 17 to 11 shots in the most dramatic reshaping of America’s vaccination policy in decades, sparking fierce opposition from major medical organizations who call the move “dangerous and unnecessary.”

Story Snapshot

CDC reduces universal childhood vaccine recommendations from 17 to 11 following Trump directive
Six vaccines now limited to high-risk populations only, including hepatitis B and meningococcal disease
American Academy of Pediatrics and American Medical Association strongly oppose the changes
New schedule modeled after Denmark’s program takes effect immediately
HPV vaccine reduced from multiple doses to single dose recommendation

The Kennedy Factor Drives Unprecedented Policy Shift

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the longtime vaccine skeptic now serving as Health Secretary, spearheaded this sweeping overhaul. The former Children’s Health Defense co-founder claims the changes align U.S. recommendations with international consensus while strengthening informed consent. Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill authorized the new schedule on January 5, following Trump’s December directive to examine how peer nations structure their vaccine programs.

The administration assembled an unusual coalition of top federal health leaders to approve these changes, including FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, and CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz. This represents a departure from typical regulatory processes, as these positions traditionally don’t involve themselves in post-approval vaccine recommendations.

Medical Establishment Pushes Back Hard

The American Academy of Pediatrics delivered a scathing response, calling the changes dangerous and criticizing the lack of public discussion or transparent data review. The organization had previously sued Kennedy in July 2025 for removing COVID-19 vaccines from children’s immunization schedules without following proper administrative procedures.

The American Medical Association joined the opposition, warning that the changes will create operational chaos in pediatric offices nationwide. Medical professionals point out that eliminating combination vaccines means babies may need three separate injections across multiple doctor visits, complicating care delivery and potentially discouraging vaccination altogether.

What Parents Need to Know About the New Rules

The streamlined schedule now universally recommends vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcal disease, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, HPV, and varicella. Six vaccines previously recommended for all children are now reserved for high-risk populations, including meningococcal disease vaccines, hepatitis A and B, RSV, and dengue.

Parents face new decision-making responsibilities through “shared clinical decision-making” protocols for vaccines including rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, and others. The HPV vaccine recommendation dropped from multiple doses to just one, representing a significant departure from established medical guidance that emphasized multi-dose protection.

International Alignment Claims Face Scrutiny

The administration justifies these changes by claiming alignment with international standards, specifically Denmark’s vaccination program. However, evidence suggests this rationale may be misleading. Multiple wealthy countries that officials consulted actually maintain similar recommendations to those the Trump administration eliminated, undermining the international consensus argument.

Officials cited “unknown risks” and “limited safety data” as factors in their decision, despite vaccines undergoing strict safety testing protocols. This reasoning conflicts with established regulatory practices where officials have historically dropped vaccines only when new data pointed to severe risks, not theoretical concerns about unknown dangers.