The US is falling behind in vaccine recommendations, experts warn, as a controversial decision by the Trump administration could have dire consequences. The administration's announcement that it no longer fully recommends a third of childhood vaccines is a significant departure from the country's previous leadership in vaccination. This move, led by Robert F Kennedy Jr, a vaccine skeptic and secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, has sparked concern among experts. Jake Scott, an infectious diseases specialist, calls it the largest change in the vaccination schedule in modern American history. Daniel Jernigan, former director of the National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, warns that this decision, made without scientific evidence or public input, will worsen vaccine access and increase disease outbreaks. The US health officials' decision to recommend fewer vaccines, Jernigan argues, is inflating risks and sowing confusion among parents and providers. Some vaccines are now only offered to high-risk groups, and others are available only under shared clinical decision-making, a rare designation that usually requires a doctor's recommendation. This includes influenza, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B. The CDC will also recommend one dose of the HPV vaccine instead of two. Health officials claim this will bring the US closer to 'peer, developed countries', but most high-income nations have similar or more comprehensive vaccine schedules. The UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, and most European countries have universal recommendations for influenza, rotavirus, and hepatitis B, and all but Japan recommend meningococcal disease vaccines. Canada, Japan, and European countries also recommend RSV vaccines for all newborns, while Australia recommends it for pregnant people. The US's fragmented health system and lack of universal healthcare make it an outlier. With 330 million people and a diverse population, the US faces significant health disparities, and diseases spread more before Americans seek care. Dense urban centers and limited healthcare access in rural areas, along with international travel, contribute to the unique challenges in disease control. Andrew Nixon, an HHS spokesperson, points to declining trust in public health but offers no evidence for the impact of the changed schedule. The decision-making process was also questioned, as it bypassed established scientific procedures, with no public comment, no discussion from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and no feedback from outside scientists or professional groups. The administration's reliance on a 33-page report from vaccine skeptics raises concerns about transparency and the validity of the policy changes. Experts warn that this unscientific approach will have harmful consequences, and they urge patients and providers to continue seeking and recommending vaccines to prevent disease outbreaks.
