Trump Orders Sweeping Review of U.S. Childhood Vaccine Schedule

WASHINGTON, D.C.—President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum on Friday directing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct an immediate review of the U.S. core childhood immunization schedule. The order mandates a comparison of American guidelines with “best practices” from peer, developed countries, citing concerns that the current U.S. schedule is an “outlier” in the number of recommended vaccinations.

The directive comes on the heels of a controversial vote by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) earlier Friday to withdraw the long-standing universal recommendation that all newborns receive a hepatitis B vaccine at birth. The committee, which has seen an overhaul of its membership under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., voted to recommend delaying the first dose until two months of age for infants whose mothers test negative for the virus, instead suggesting parents consult with their healthcare providers on the timing. This change drew immediate backlash from major medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, who argue the universal dose is a key public health measure that has nearly eradicated the virus among children and that the new guidance will increase the risk of preventable infections.

In his memorandum, President Trump echoed his long-held skepticism about the volume of vaccines given to U.S. children. He noted that the U.S. recommends vaccination against 18 diseases, including COVID-19, compared to countries like Denmark (10 diseases), Japan (14 diseases), and Germany (15 diseases). He pointed to other differences, such as the U.S.’s recommendation for a yearly influenza vaccine starting at six months, which he claims is uncommon as a core vaccination in many peer countries.

The memo instructs the HHS Secretary and the CDC Director to review the scientific evidence informing international best practices and, if determined to be superior, to update the U.S. core childhood vaccine schedule to align with those findings. The President has publicly praised the ACIP’s decision on the hepatitis B vaccine as a “very good decision.”

The move marks a significant step in the Trump administration’s “Make Our Children Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative, which was established by Executive Order in February 2025. A fact sheet from the White House stated that the MAHA strategy “prioritized development of a vaccine framework that ensures America has the best childhood vaccine schedule.”

Public health experts are divided on the review. Critics of the current U.S. schedule welcome a comparative look at international guidelines, which often feature fewer routine vaccinations. However, mainstream medical organizations stress that the U.S. schedule is based on extensive research and is tailored to the nation’s specific disease epidemiology and healthcare system capabilities. They caution that any deviation from the established, thoroughly vetted schedule risks a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases and could cause widespread parental confusion.

The ACIP’s vote on hepatitis B and the President’s subsequent order signal a dramatic shift in federal vaccination policy, promising a contentious debate in the coming months over the future of the nation’s immunization guidelines.

Articles and Links

• Aligning United States Core Childhood Vaccine Recommendations with Best Practices from Peer, Developed Countries (Presidential Memoranda)
• Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Begins Process to Align U.S. Core Childhood Vaccine Recommendations with Best Practices from Peer, Developed Countries (The White House)
• CDC advisory panel votes to limit hepatitis B vaccines for newborns (The Guardian)
• Trump orders review of childhood vaccine schedule, calls U.S. an ‘outlier’ (The Washington Post)