Throughout history, vaccines have played a major role in preventing illness and saving lives – especially among children. A recent shift in U.S. childhood immunization guidelines, however, is now sparking concern among some medical experts.

On January 5, updated recommendations issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) marked a significant departure from previous guidance. Going forward, six out of 17 routine vaccines for children will no longer be broadly recommended – and some medical experts are warning that the consequences could be major, and even deadly.

The new guidelines follow what the Department of Health and Human Services described as a “scientific review” of existing data, including comparisons between the U.S. immunization schedule and those in other developed nations, according to Tyla.

New U.S. childhood vaccination guidelines
Countries such as Denmark and Canada were included in the analysis, with the department concluding that the U.S. had been recommending more vaccines than its global peers. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. said: “We are aligning the US childhood vaccine schedule with international consensus while strengthening transparency and informed consent.”

Donald Trump supported the move, calling it “rooted in the gold standard of science.”

But not everyone agrees. The American Academy of Pediatrics has strongly criticized the decision, calling it “dangerous and unnecessary,” according to the BBC. Under the new guidelines, the CDC will no longer broadly recommend the following vaccines for children starting in 2026:

Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Influenza
Meningococcal disease
Rotavirus
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
“They’re going to bring back suffering”
However, some of these vaccines may still be offered to children considered high-risk, including those for hepatitis A and B, RSV, dengue, and meningococcal disease.

The CDC emphasized that several core vaccines will remain widely recommended for all children. Despite those assurances, many healthcare professionals say the changes could have serious consequences. According to CDC data, three of the vaccines no longer routinely recommended have prevented nearly 2 million hospitalizations and more than 90,000 deaths over the past 30 years.

“They’re going to bring back suffering and death,” Dr. Sean O’Leary told The Times, according to Tyla. “I don’t say that with any hyperbole, that’s exactly what’s going to happen.”

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