Trump Orders CDC to Reduce Childhood Vaccine Recommendations

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday directing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to align childhood vaccine recommendations with a scientific assessment released earlier this year by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The move reduces the number of recommended immunizations for children from 17 to 10, sparking heavy criticism from medical experts.

According to CBS News, Trump issued a memo in December directing HHS to align U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations with 'best practices from peer, developed countries.' In early January, HHS released an assessment that determined the U.S. recommends more childhood vaccines than any peer nation. Following this assessment, the CDC announced updated recommendations reducing the number of recommended immunizations for children.

The executive order directs the CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to review HHS's January 'scientific assessment' and update the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule. The White House stated that Trump is reaffirming his commitment to 'gold-standard science' and empowering patients and doctors with maximum flexibility, as reported by CBS News. However, medical experts argue that the changes could lead to more sick children and strain state resources.

The order has prompted legal action from 15 states with Democratic governors. They are suing HHS and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., arguing that stripping vaccines of their universally recommended status will make children sicker, according to The Guardian. The lawsuit also complains about a CDC memo downgrading the recommendation for a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Medical experts like Dr. William Schaffner have expressed concerns about the potential resurgence of diseases if children are not progressively vaccinated.

According to The Guardian, the HHS assessment, co-authored by anti-vaccine activist Tracy Beth Høeg, recommended cutting vaccines for seven diseases from the schedule and reducing HPV vaccine doses. The order has drawn criticism from medical experts who argue that Denmark's vaccine policies are a global outlier and cannot be retrofitted to the U.S.

Reuters reported that the executive order directs the CDC and ACIP to review the HHS assessment and clinical data to update the vaccines schedule for children. The White House emphasized that the core childhood vaccine schedule should align with scientific evidence and best practices from peer, developed countries while preserving access to currently available vaccines.

The Trump administration previously moved to narrow the number of recommended childhood vaccines in response to the report, but the move was blocked by a federal judge in Massachusetts. The administration is appealing the decision. According to Los Angeles Times, the study recommends vaccinating all children against 11 diseases. Several others would be recommended only for high-risk groups or when doctors recommend them in what's called 'shared decision-making.' That includes vaccines for flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV.

The order directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review the study and 'take any appropriate steps' to update its vaccine recommendations. It says the CDC should 'provide maximum flexibility to parents and doctors' and directs agencies to make sure all actions, regulations and funding are aligned with the study.

States, not the federal government, have the authority to require vaccinations for schoolchildren. While CDC requirements often influence those state regulations, some states have begun creating their own alliances to counter the Trump administration's guidance on vaccines.