Vaccines

“Dangerous and Unnecessary;” How Health Leaders Are Reacting to CDC’s New Vaccine Schedule

RFK Jr. abruptly changed the number of recommended vaccines for children from 17 to 11, which health experts have called "dangerous and unnecessary."

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Photo credit: Gage Skidmore

Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced sudden and sweeping changes to the vaccines it recommends for children, slashing the number from 17 to 11.

The decision was made unilaterally by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kennedy without consulting key scientists or vaccine experts at the CDC. Although he said it is a part of an effort to rebuild "trust in public health," it instead looks exactly like what you get when putting a notorious anti-vaxxer in charge of vaccine policy: experts sidelined, doctors ignored, and all of us put at risk.

Back in May of last year, Kennedy said that people shouldn't take medical advice from him, so let's see how actual medical experts are reacting to the CDC's latest announcement:

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

"Dangerous and unnecessary"

"Ill-considered decision"

"Will sow further chaos and confusion and erode confidence in immunizations."

AAP publishes its own recommended vaccine schedule. Until recently, AAP and CDC recommendations were aligned. Read AAP's statement.

American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)

"The evidence hasn’t changed, so the AAFP’s recommendations haven’t changed."

The AAFP also publishes its own recommendations, which now states that the CDC's schedule is "not endorsed by the AAFP." Read AAFP's statement.

American Medical Association (AMA)

"It undermines public trust and puts children at unnecessary risk of preventable disease."

Further, they endorsed "continued access to childhood immunizations recommended by national medical specialty societies." Translation: listen to AAP and AAFP, not CDC about vaccines. Read AMA's statement.

American Public Health Association (APHA)

"This is health policy malpractice at the highest level and must be reversed before children and families across the country suffer."

APHA was sharply critical of the process, unscientific approach, and warned of the impact on public health. Read APHA's statement.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)

"Secretary Kennedy has said that people should not take medical advice from him. This announcement shows exactly why that's the case."

"This announcement is rooted in ideology, not medicine and intentionally circumvents decades of vaccine safety evidence."

"He [Kennedy] has done more than anyone to spread confusion, fear and lies about vaccines. That is a major reason why vaccination rates are declining and deadly outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases are on the rise."

RWJF offered one of the most pointed rebuttals of Kennedy, urging parents to "ignore" the recommendations in favor of advice from medical providers. Read RWJF's statement here.

Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA)

"The latest reckless step in Secretary Kennedy’s assault on the national vaccine infrastructure that has saved millions of lives."

"His actions put families and communities at risk and will make America sicker."

In addition to their initial statement, IDSA published an open letter to Congress, co-signed by over 200 medical organizations, urging "swift and robust oversight regarding the abrupt changes to the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule." Read the letter here.

Vaccinate Your Family (VYF)

"A risky, ideological-based decision that will put our communities and our nation at risk of dangerous and costly outbreaks."

Vaccinate Your Family urged parents to follow recommendations from AAP and AAFP rather than the CDC. Read Vaccinate Your Family's statement.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)

"The federal changes were not based on any new data or scientific evidence."

CHOP has long been a national leader on vaccines and vaccine education. The institution announced it will follow "the AAP schedule because it reflects the best available evidence and years of careful research." Read the CHOP statement.

Professional medical associations, patient advocacy groups, and pediatric healthcare providers are condemning the CDC's new childhood vaccine schedule and the reckless, unscientific process that led to it.

The sidelining of CDC health leadership is unprecedented, and, frankly, shocking. Shocking, but not surprising, given who is in charge of this administration.

Unfortunately, this is almost certainly not the last assault on public health and vaccines that we see from the Kennedy-led HHS.

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Resources:

Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule - American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Birth Through Age 18 Immunization Schedule - American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)