Opinion: New pediatric vaccine schedule is very concerning

As a physician, I believe there is a lot we can do to be healthier. Most of us can improve our diet, increase exercise and sleep more. We can try to reduce stress and prioritize social connections with friends and family. I counseled my pediatric patients and their families about these healthy choices for over 20 years. A discussion about staying up to date with immunizations was an important part of my advice. 

In January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed their vaccination advice with a revised Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule. The CDC is a federal agency tasked with protecting the health of all Americans. Their new pediatric vaccine schedule is very concerning. The revisions will increase confusion, lead to fewer vaccines being administered and ultimately make us sicker. 

Every year the CDC publishes an updated pediatric immunization schedule. Changes are typically minor and are made based on reliable scientific information arising over the previous year. The federal vaccine schedule is used by healthcare providers to determine the timing of vaccines. Public health departments, schools, and health insurance companies utilize the schedule to help determine requirements and coverage. In the past, the CDC’s immunization schedule has been a trusted guide, used to protect the health of all American children and ensure access to vaccines. 

This year is a different story. Within days of release, this new schedule was rejected by the largest professional organization of pediatricians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and at least 12 other medical organizations. In addition, more than half of the states in the country, including Massachusetts, decoupled their own vaccine recommendations from the federal guidelines. What should we think about this? It’s a confusing situation but it’s important to understand why the federal recommendations, usually a trusted source of information, are not a step toward a healthier America. 

Pediatric immunizations have been a pillar of preventative medicine for decades. They work by teaching an individual’s own immune system to recognize and respond to infections. Immunizations help children stay healthy. They have a proven track record of preventing and decreasing the severity of disease. Childhood immunizations also help our communities by building community immunity — widespread protection against preventable contagious diseases. In short, they make Americans and America healthier. 

The schedule revisions released in January were dramatic. They included a reduction from 17 to 11 routinely recommended vaccines. Infections targeted by the six vaccines removed from the routine schedule haven’t gone away. Rotavirus, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Meningitis, RSV and Flu are still around. They cause a spectrum of disease from missed school/work days to hospitalization, and even death. Vaccines can prevent these infections. In fact, in 2024 the CDC estimated that just three of these immunizations (Rotavirus, Hepatitis A, and Hepatitis B) prevented 40 million cases of disease in the United States between 1994 -2023. So why have they been removed from the schedule? No new scientific information was reported to explain these changes. 

The potential results of the CDC’s new vaccine schedule is very concerning. Parents and caregivers will be confused, trust in vaccines will decrease, and fewer kids will be vaccinated. The community immunity that we rely on to keep everyone healthy will break down. Children will get sick and our communities will suffer as more diseases are able to circulate and infection spreads. As we are seeing with the current measles outbreaks, even diseases once eliminated in the United States are on our doorstep ready to tear through our communities should vaccination rates decrease. 

Rumors are swirling about even more sweeping changes to the CDC’s childhood vaccine schedule. The CDC’s new chairman of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has suggested that immunizations against polio and measles should be optional. Previous generations of parents would be stunned to learn that we are considering abandoning the lifesaving tools available to us. We can’t let this happen. It will not Make America Healthier. 

What will make us healthier? Improved vaccine access, increased vaccination rates, and a rejection of the CDC’s new childhood vaccine schedule. If caregivers and concerned community members have questions, I encourage them to turn to the people who have devoted their careers to caring for children: pediatricians. The American Academy of Pediatrics and their website HealthyChildren.org is a great free resource for up-to-date child and family-focused advice, including reliable information about immunizations. 

Let’s work together to actually Make America Healthier. Protect our children and our communities. Support childhood vaccinations.

Gillian Simmons is a retired pediatrician with over 20 years of experience practicing out of Dartmouth.