Controversy

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Will Secretary Kennedy's U.S. Childhood Vaccine Schedule Overhaul Risk Public Health?

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Claims

Last Updated 2 days ago

Marty Makary"This [2026] decision recommits HHS to all three [transparency, rigorous science, and respect for families]."Jan 05, 2026

CDC Newsroom

Mehmet Oz"No family will lose access.This [2026] framework empowers parents and physicians to make individualized decisions based on risk, while maintaining strong protection against serious disease."Jan 05, 2026

CDC Newsroom

Robert F. Kennedy Jr."This decision protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health."Jan 05, 2026

Trump Department of Health and Human Services

Bill Cassidy“Changing the pediatric vaccine schedule based on no scientific input on safety risks and little transparency will cause unnecessary fear for patients and doctors, and will make America sicker.”Jan 06, 2026

CNN

Michael Osterholm"This wildly irresponsible decision will put lives at risk."Jan 05, 2026

CIDRAP

Sean O'Leary“I’m not sure why they want to bring the diseases back but that’s their goal.”Jan 05, 2026

CIDRAP

WLBT3"If the changes mean fewer children are vaccinated, outbreaks that have historically been prevented by high vaccination rates could spread more widely, leading to more disease and more missed school and work."Jan 06, 2026

Wlbt

“Today’s announcement by federal health officials to arbitrarily stop recommending numerous routine childhood immunizations is dangerous and unnecessary."Jan 05, 2026

Contemporary Pediatrics

IDSA"[Secretary Kennedy’s] actions put families and communities at risk and will make America sicker."Feb 01, 2026

Idsociety

“Abandoning the U.S. evidence-based process is a dangerous and potentially deadly decision for Americans.”Jan 05, 2026

CIDRAP

Jay Bhattacharya"This decision commits NIH, CDC, and FDA to gold standard science, greater transparency, and ongoing reassessment as new data emerge."Jan 05, 2026

CDC Newsroom

Jim O'Neill"The data support a more focused schedule that protects children from the most serious infectious diseases while improving clarity, adherence, and public confidence."Jan 05, 2026

CDC Newsroom

“I think that a reduced schedule is going to endanger children and lay the groundwork for a resurgence in preventable disease.”Jan 06, 2026

CNN

Jesse L. Goodman“There will be more diseases, more infection, more hospitalizations.”Jan 05, 2026

CIDRAP

"Departing from that standard risks fundamentally preventable deaths, because we will see outbreaks of infectious diseases that are vaccine-controllable."Jan 16, 2026

UC Berkeley Public Health

"This decision did not follow established procedure for vaccine policy recommendations and threatens an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases in children nationwide."Feb 01, 2026

Cdph

Robert Goldstein“The decision to change CDC’s childhood immunization schedule is reckless and deeply dangerous.”Jan 27, 2026

NBC Los Angeles

Diana DeGette"Without these vaccines, more children will die from preventable illnesses."Jan 05, 2026

Congresswoman Diana DeGette

Kevin A. Ault“Given the intensity of the current flu season and this guidance from the political appointees at HHS, it seems likely we will see even more deaths this year.”Jan 05, 2026

CIDRAP