Shaking Up Childhood Vaccines: What’s Changing and Why It Matters

Big changes are coming to how kids in the U. S. get their vaccines. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is planning to shake things up. He wants to use a vaccine schedule from Denmark, a country much smaller and less diverse than the U. S. This could mean fewer shots for American children. This move skips the usual process where experts review evidence to decide what vaccines kids need. It might also make it harder for families to get certain vaccines covered by insurance or government programs. Many doctors are worried. They think this could lead to more kids getting sick. Measles and whooping cough are already making a comeback in some states because fewer kids are getting vaccinated.Another big question is whether vaccine makers will still be protected from lawsuits. If they aren’t, companies might stop selling vaccines in the U. S. , just like they did before the 1980s. President Donald Trump told Kennedy to look at other countries like Denmark, Germany, and Japan. These countries give fewer vaccines than the U. S. But the U. S. is much bigger and more diverse. What works in one country might not work in another. Even if some families still follow the old schedule, doctors say fewer vaccines mean more sickness. Dr. Sean O’Leary, who works with the American Academy of Pediatrics, warns that this could bring back serious illnesses and even deaths. The Department of Health and Human Services hasn’t said much about these changes yet.