On January 5, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a major overhaul of the national childhood immunization schedule, removing six vaccines from the previously recommended list. The decision follows a month-long review conducted under the direction of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Key adjustments to the vaccine list Under the new guidelines, six vaccines—Influenza, COVID-19, Meningitis, Rotavirus, Hepatitis A, and Hepatitis B—have been removed from the standard recommended schedule.
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Consultation requirements: These shots remain available but are now advised only after a formal consultation with a healthcare specialist.
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RSV Immunization: Protection against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is now restricted to high-risk infants and children whose mothers were not vaccinated during pregnancy.
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HPV Vaccine: The CDC now advises that a single dose of the HPV vaccine provides sufficient protection, moving away from the previous two-dose requirement.
Rationale for the policy shift Officials from the CDC and HHS stated that the changes aim to align the U.S. schedule with international consensus among developed nations. Prior to this update, the U.S. recommended significantly more vaccines than many peer countries, such as Denmark, which recommends immunizations for only 10 diseases. Leadership emphasized that the review focuses on transparency and empowering informed consent for families.
Professional and public health response The American Medical Association (AMA) and various public health advocacy groups have expressed concerns regarding the move. Critics argue that altering long-standing recommendations without a traditional, robust peer-review process could undermine public trust and leave children vulnerable to preventable illnesses.
The revised schedule is effective immediately. Recommendations for vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella remain unchanged.