Under anti-vaccine Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., federal health officials on Monday announced a sweeping and unprecedented change in federal vaccine recommendations, abruptly reducing recommended vaccinations for children ages 17 to 11.
Officials claimed the rationale for the change was to more closely align U.S. vaccine recommendations with other high-income countries, namely Denmark, a small, much less diverse country of about 6 million people (smaller than the population of New York City) that has universal health care. Officials also claim the change is necessary to address a decline in public confidence in vaccinations, which has been driven by anti-vaccine activists including Kennedy.
“This decision protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health,” Kennedy said in a statement.
Health experts disagree. “Kennedy’s decision will harm and kill children, as will all of his anti-vaccination decisions,” James Alvin, a virologist who works with the organization Defend Public Health, said in a statement.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, a vocal critic of Kennedy, criticized the changes, saying, “Arbitrarily stopping recommending many routine childhood vaccinations is dangerous and unnecessary,” AAP President Andrew Racine said. “The United States is not Denmark,” he said.
Under the new federal recommendations, universally recommended vaccinations have been limited to these 11 diseases: measles, mumps, rubella, polio, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus (HPV), and varicella (chickenpox).
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