RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Schedule Endgame
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TL;DR
- Federal vaccine guidance for children was reduced from 17 to 11 recommended vaccinations.
- The overhaul was led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has expressed vaccine-skeptical views.
- The decision was made without public discussion or input from the federal advisory committee responsible for vaccine recommendations.
- Vaccinations against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningitis, RSV, influenza, and rotavirus are no longer universally recommended for all children.
- The shift to 'shared clinical decision-making' for some vaccines could create structural barriers to access.
- The rationale cited is a comparison to other developed nations, using Denmark as a model, though this comparison is contested.
- Critics argue the process bypassed scientific review and evidence-based decision-making.