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An extensive revision of US childhood immunisation protocols has resulted in a reduction in the number of universally advised vaccines from 17 to 11.

The newly issued schedule from the CDC retains essential vaccines for diseases like poliomyelitis and rubeola. However, others, including liver infection vaccines and Covid vaccines, are now categorized based on personal risk factors and subject to "joint medical decision-making" involving physicians and parents.

"The new guideline is risky and unnecessary," criticized the AAP, describing the policy.

This sweeping guideline shift constitutes the most recent major move implemented under the current administration by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Government Rationale and International Comparison

Kennedy claimed the revision followed "after an thorough analysis" and "safeguards children, respects parents, and restores trust in public health."

"We are aligning the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule with international consensus while enhancing transparency and informed consent," he added.

According to the announcement, the updated core recommendation for all minors will include vaccines for:

• Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
• Poliovirus
• Pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, and diphtheria (DTaP/Tdap)
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
• Pneumococcus disease
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Chickenpox

3 Categories of Guidance

The revised structure establishes 3 separate tiers of immunization advice:

1. Universal Vaccines: The eleven immunizations mentioned above are recommended for all children.
2. Conditional Vaccines: This group includes shots for RSV, Hep A, hepatitis B, dengue fever, and meningitis types (ACWY and B). These are recommended based on a child's individual risk factors.
3. Shared Decision-Making Group: Immunizations for the coronavirus, the flu, and a stomach virus are now subject to discretionary discussion and choice between parents and their physicians.

For the time being, health coverage will still pay for vaccines that are currently on the schedule until the end of 2025.

International Context and Prior Controversy

The health agency performed a comparison of current childhood schedules with those of 20 other industrialized countries. It found the United States was "a global outlier" in both the quantity of diseases covered and the amount of doses administered, the Department of Health and Human Services reported.

This latest announcement follows a short time following a separate advisory committee adjusted the timing for the first hepatitis B vaccine. Formerly, a first shot was advised for newborns within a day of birth. Revised guidelines last December shifted that to two months after birth if the mother tested non-reactive for hepatitis B.

That prior change was roundly condemned by pediatric doctors, with the American Academy of Pediatrics describing it "a dangerous move that will hurt kids."