The United States has removed six common childhood vaccines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended immunisation schedule, reducing the number of diseases covered from 17 to 11.
US health officials announced the overhaul on Monday, following a December 5, 2025, directive by President Donald Trump ordering a review of the country’s childhood vaccine schedule against those of wealthy peer nations, including Denmark, Germany and Japan.
According to an analysis by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the changes move the US from one of the developed countries with the highest number of recommended childhood vaccinations to one of the lowest. Only Denmark now recommends fewer vaccines, covering 10 diseases. Japan recommends immunisation against 14 diseases, while countries such as Australia, Canada, Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom recommend vaccines for up to 15 or 16 diseases.
Among the vaccines no longer recommended for all children are those against rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A and hepatitis B. The CDC also dropped its recommendation for newborn vaccination against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) when mothers were not previously immunised.
RSV is the leading cause of childhood hospitalisations in the US, accounting for about 80,000 hospital admissions annually.
In addition, the CDC reduced the recommended number of doses for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine from two to one, a move that contradicts guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and most developed countries. WHO’s cervical cancer elimination strategy relies heavily on mass HPV immunisation to significantly reduce cases by 2030.
Public health experts have raised concerns over the removal of broad hepatitis B vaccination recommendations. Hepatitis B is a major cause of liver disease, and nearly all developed countries vaccinate newborns or infants against it. Under the new policy, vaccination is advised only for children deemed “high risk,” following consultation with physicians. In December 2025, the CDC had already recommended delaying hepatitis B vaccination for infants by six months.
The changes were announced by acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill, who directed immediate implementation. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the overhaul would improve transparency and rebuild trust in public health institutions.
“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.
However, critics say the decision marks an unprecedented departure from the CDC’s long-standing evidence-based process, which typically involves independent expert advisory panels. This time, the revisions were issued through a memorandum, based largely on comparisons with other countries’ schedules.
Health experts also warn that comparisons can be misleading, noting differences in healthcare systems, surveillance capacity and social support. The US, they argue, has a larger population with less consistent access to healthcare, making broader vaccine recommendations more critical.
“This is health policy malpractice at the highest level and must be reversed before children and families suffer,” said Dr George C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.
While the CDC says the removed vaccines should remain covered by health insurance, experts caution that access may not be guaranteed in the country’s fragmented healthcare system once formal recommendations are withdrawn.
The policy document argues that scaling back recommendations could help restore trust amid declining vaccination rates. But many physicians and public health advocates warn the changes could lead to increased disease, disability and deaths, particularly from RSV, hepatitis and other preventable infections.
