The recommended vaccine schedule for children has been reduced from 17 to 11 vaccines, according to a recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The decision comes after a presidential memorandum directing the HHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to compare the U.S. immunization schedule to those of “peer, developed countries.”
In June of 2025, members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices were dismissed by the HHS “under the leadership of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.” to be replaced by a new set of ACIP members. This January, six vaccines were removed from the vaccine schedule and are no longer recommended for all children by the CDC.
Those immunizations include:
Additionally, the HPV vaccine, which is typically at least two doses, is now only recommended for one dose. It is suggested that children who have a higher risk of infection should receive the vaccines that were removed from the schedule.
