Health and Me

Ishita Roy

Fact Check: Are Fewer Childhood Vaccines Really “A Better Thing” Under the New CDC Guidelines?

In early January, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made one of the most significant changes to childhood vaccination policy in decades. Routine vaccination is no longer universally recommended for six diseases, including rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease and hepatitis A. The move follows a directive from President Donald Trump’s administration to reassess vaccine schedules and align them with what officials called “international consensus.”

Supporters of the change describe it as a step toward informed consent and transparency. Many public health experts see it very differently. They argue that the science behind the decision is selective, the process breaks with long-standing norms, and the consequences may only become clear years later.

So are these <span>vaccines</span> actually necessary, and is removing them from compulsory recommendation a reasonable move? Health and Me ran a <span>fact check</span> to see whether the four vaccines removed from the CDC universal guidelines would actually be a "<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/children-getting-fewer-vaccine-may-be-a-better-thing-says-rfk-jr-as-us-struggles-with-rise-in-flu-activity-article-153424310" data-type="tilCustomLink">better thing</a>", as the Health Secretary and long time vaccine critic Robert F Kennedy Jr says. 

Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/children-getting-fewer-vaccine-may-be-a-better-thing-says-rfk-jr-as-us-struggles-with-rise-in-flu-activity-article-153424310" data-type="tilCustomLink">Children Getting Fewer Vaccine May Be A 'Better Thing', Says RFK Jr, As US Struggles With Rise In Flu Activity</a>

<h2>What Exactly Changed With The <span rel="noindex">CDC Vaccination</span></h2>

Until recently, the CDC recommended routine childhood vaccination against 17 diseases. That number has now dropped to 11. Vaccines for rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and COVID-19 are no longer universally recommended for all children. Instead, they fall under shared clinical decision-making, meaning parents can still opt for them after discussion with a healthcare provider.

Importantly, this does not mean the vaccines are banned or unavailable. Insurance coverage remains largely unchanged for now, and vaccines remain recommended for children at higher risk.

The larger concern raised by experts is not access, but messaging. Universal recommendations have historically been one of the strongest drivers of vaccine uptake.

Read More: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/cdc-vaccine-schedule-coverage-falls-from-17-to-11-diseases-for-children-article-153401712" data-type="tilCustomLink">CDC Vaccine Schedule: Coverage Falls From 17 to 11 Diseases For Children</a>

<h2>A Break From the Usual Scientific Process</h2>

Traditionally, changes to the U.S. vaccine schedule go through the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a panel of independent experts who review evidence publicly over months. This time, that process was bypassed.

Instead, the decision relied on a 33-page internal assessment prepared by two political appointees. Several experts criticized both the lack of transparency and the narrow interpretation of evidence.

Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician and vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, described the process as federal officials making sweeping decisions behind closed doors, without public input or broad expert review.

<h2>Rotavirus: Rare Deaths, Heavy Hospital Burden</h2>

Rotavirus causes severe diarrhea and vomiting in infants and young children, often leading to dehydration. Before routine vaccination began in 2006, an estimated 55,000 to 70,000 U.S. children were hospitalized each year due to rotavirus.

The administration justified dropping the universal recommendation by emphasizing low mortality rates. However, CDC researchers previously estimated 20 to 60 deaths annually in the pre-vaccine era. Experts say focusing narrowly on death counts ignores the very real suffering and healthcare burden the virus caused.

Offit, who helped develop one of the vaccines, noted that most pediatric residents today have never seen a child hospitalized with severe rotavirus dehydration. That absence, he argues, is proof of success, not irrelevance.

<h2>Meningococcal Disease: Rare but Devastating</h2>

Meningococcal disease is uncommon, but when it strikes, it can be deadly within hours. Even with treatment, about 15 percent of patients die, and up to 20 percent suffer permanent complications such as amputations or hearing loss.

The administration cited low incidence and World Health Organization thresholds to justify removing the universal recommendation. But experts counter that low incidence is precisely what vaccination programs aim to achieve.

Dr. David Stephens of Emory University pointed out that most high-income countries still recommend meningococcal vaccines, even with similarly low disease rates. He also warned that recent U.S. data show a resurgence, with 2024 recording the highest number of cases in over a decade.

Modeling studies suggest that U.S. vaccination programs have already prevented hundreds of cases and dozens of deaths. Removing universal recommendations, experts warn, risks reversing those gains.

<h2>Influenza: The Limits of Clinical Trials</h2>

Annual flu vaccination for children has been recommended since 2008, based on evidence that children both suffer from influenza and play a major role in spreading it.

The administration argued that randomized controlled trials have not proven flu vaccines reduce hospitalizations or deaths in children. What it did not emphasize is that such trials are not designed to detect rare outcomes like death.

Dr. Mark Loeb of McMaster University explained that proving mortality benefits would require trials involving millions of children, which is not feasible. Instead, real-world observational studies are used.

Those studies consistently show that flu vaccination reduces hospitalizations in children. A 2024 review in the New England Journal of Medicine estimated a 67 percent reduction in pediatric hospital admissions. Experts say dismissing this evidence reflects a misunderstanding of how vaccine effectiveness is measured.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/rsv-vaccine-has-benefits-reveals-study-amid-cdcs-changed-guidelines-on-childhood-vaccines-article-153440370" data-type="tilCustomLink">RSV Vaccine Has Benefits, Reveals Study Amid CDC's Changed Guidelines On Childhood Vaccines</a>

<h2>Hepatitis A: Protecting Others by Vaccinating Children</h2>

Hepatitis A rarely causes severe illness in young children, which is precisely why childhood vaccination works. Children often spread the virus silently to adults, who face much higher risks of liver failure and death.

Dr. Noele Nelson, a former CDC epidemiologist, explained that vaccinating children interrupts this transmission chain and provides lifelong immunity. She warned that reducing childhood vaccination could recreate the conditions that once fueled adult outbreaks.

Claims that hepatitis A vaccines lack adequate safety data were also disputed. Clinical trials and decades of post-licensure monitoring have found no unexpected safety concerns, according to Nelson and other experts.

<h2>Are These Changes Scientifically Justified?</h2>

Public health experts broadly agree that these vaccines are not perfect and that honest discussions about risks and benefits matter. Where they strongly disagree is the idea that low disease rates or ethical limits on trial design justify weakening universal recommendations.

Low incidence, experts emphasize, is not a reason to stop vaccinating. It is evidence that vaccination works.

Whether the consequences of this policy shift emerge in five years or ten, many experts fear the costs will be paid quietly, through preventable hospitalizations, outbreaks and deaths that no longer make headlines but never needed to happen in the first place.

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In early January, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made one of the most significant changes to childhood vaccination policy in decades. Routine vaccination is no longer universally recommended for six diseases, including rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease and hepatitis A. The move follows a directive from President Donald Trump’s administration to reassess vaccine schedules and align them with what officials called “international consensus.”Supporters of the change describe it as a step toward informed consent and transparency. Many public health experts see it very differently. They argue that the science behind the decision is selective, the process breaks with long-standing norms, and the consequences may only become clear years later.So are these vaccines actually necessary, and is removing them from compulsory recommendation a reasonable move? Health and Me ran a fact check to see whether the four vaccines removed from the CDC universal guidelines would actually be a "better thing", as the Health Secretary and long time vaccine critic Robert F Kennedy Jr says. Read: Children Getting Fewer Vaccine May Be A 'Better Thing', Says RFK Jr, As US Struggles With Rise In Flu ActivityWhat Exactly Changed With The CDC VaccinationUntil recently, the CDC recommended routine childhood vaccination against 17 diseases. That number has now dropped to 11. Vaccines for rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and COVID-19 are no longer universally recommended for all children. Instead, they fall under shared clinical decision-making, meaning parents can still opt for them after discussion with a healthcare provider.Importantly, this does not mean the vaccines are banned or unavailable. Insurance coverage remains largely unchanged for now, and vaccines remain recommended for children at higher risk.The larger concern raised by experts is not access, but messaging. Universal recommendations have historically been one of the strongest drivers of vaccine uptake.Read More: CDC Vaccine Schedule: Coverage Falls From 17 to 11 Diseases For ChildrenA Break From the Usual Scientific ProcessTraditionally, changes to the U.S. vaccine schedule go through the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a panel of independent experts who review evidence publicly over months. This time, that process was bypassed.Instead, the decision relied on a 33-page internal assessment prepared by two political appointees. Several experts criticized both the lack of transparency and the narrow interpretation of evidence.Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician and vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, described the process as federal officials making sweeping decisions behind closed doors, without public input or broad expert review.Rotavirus: Rare Deaths, Heavy Hospital BurdenRotavirus causes severe diarrhea and vomiting in infants and young children, often leading to dehydration. Before routine vaccination began in 2006, an estimated 55,000 to 70,000 U.S. children were hospitalized each year due to rotavirus.The administration justified dropping the universal recommendation by emphasizing low mortality rates. However, CDC researchers previously estimated 20 to 60 deaths annually in the pre-vaccine era. Experts say focusing narrowly on death counts ignores the very real suffering and healthcare burden the virus caused.Offit, who helped develop one of the vaccines, noted that most pediatric residents today have never seen a child hospitalized with severe rotavirus dehydration. That absence, he argues, is proof of success, not irrelevance.Meningococcal Disease: Rare but DevastatingMeningococcal disease is uncommon, but when it strikes, it can be deadly within hours. Even with treatment, about 15 percent of patients die, and up to 20 percent suffer permanent complications such as amputations or hearing loss.The administration cited low incidence and World Health Organization thresholds to justify removing the universal recommendation. But experts counter that low incidence is precisely what vaccination programs aim to achieve.Dr. David Stephens of Emory University pointed out that most high-income countries still recommend meningococcal vaccines, even with similarly low disease rates. He also warned that recent U.S. data show a resurgence, with 2024 recording the highest number of cases in over a decade.Modeling studies suggest that U.S. vaccination programs have already prevented hundreds of cases and dozens of deaths. Removing universal recommendations, experts warn, risks reversing those gains.Influenza: The Limits of Clinical TrialsAnnual flu vaccination for children has been recommended since 2008, based on evidence that children both suffer from influenza and play a major role in spreading it.The administration argued that randomized controlled trials have not proven flu vaccines reduce hospitalizations or deaths in children. What it did not emphasize is that such trials are not designed to detect rare outcomes like death.Dr. Mark Loeb of McMaster University explained that proving mortality benefits would require trials involving millions of children, which is not feasible. Instead, real-world observational studies are used.Those studies consistently show that flu vaccination reduces hospitalizations in children. A 2024 review in the New England Journal of Medicine estimated a 67 percent reduction in pediatric hospital admissions. Experts say dismissing this evidence reflects a misunderstanding of how vaccine effectiveness is measured.Also Read: RSV Vaccine Has Benefits, Reveals Study Amid CDC's Changed Guidelines On Childhood VaccinesHepatitis A: Protecting Others by Vaccinating ChildrenHepatitis A rarely causes severe illness in young children, which is precisely why childhood vaccination works. Children often spread the virus silently to adults, who face much higher risks of liver failure and death.Dr. Noele Nelson, a former CDC epidemiologist, explained that vaccinating children interrupts this transmission chain and provides lifelong immunity. She warned that reducing childhood vaccination could recreate the conditions that once fueled adult outbreaks.Claims that hepatitis A vaccines lack adequate safety data were also disputed. Clinical trials and decades of post-licensure monitoring have found no unexpected safety concerns, according to Nelson and other experts.Are These Changes Scientifically Justified?Public health experts broadly agree that these vaccines are not perfect and that honest discussions about risks and benefits matter. Where they strongly disagree is the idea that low disease rates or ethical limits on trial design justify weakening universal recommendations.Low incidence, experts emphasize, is not a reason to stop vaccinating. It is evidence that vaccination works.Whether the consequences of this policy shift emerge in five years or ten, many experts fear the costs will be paid quietly, through preventable hospitalizations, outbreaks and deaths that no longer make headlines but never needed to happen in the first place.