The United States has sharply reduced the number of vaccines recommended for children under updated national immunisation guidelines, cutting the list from 17 to 10.
Under the revised schedule issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccines for diseases such as polio and measles remain universally recommended. However, others including hepatitis A, hepatitis B and Covid-19 are no longer advised for all children and will instead be administered based on individual risk assessments and shared decision-making between parents and healthcare providers.
The changes represent one of the most significant public health policy shifts under the Trump administration and were announced by Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who has long challenged aspects of US vaccination policy.
Kennedy said the overhaul followed an extensive review process and was designed to protect children while restoring trust in public health institutions. He added that the revised schedule brings the United States closer to international vaccination practices while strengthening transparency and informed consent.
The Department of Health and Human Services said a comparison of US immunisation schedules with those of 20 developed countries showed the US had been an outlier in both the number of diseases covered and the total number of doses given during childhood.
The announcement follows recent controversy over changes to guidance on the hepatitis B vaccine. Previously, infants were advised to receive their first dose within 24 hours of birth. Revised guidelines issued in December shifted the first dose to two months of age for babies born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B.
That decision drew sharp criticism from paediatric health experts. The American Academy of Pediatrics warned that delaying early vaccination could increase health risks for infants and described the move as dangerous.
Despite the changes, officials said health insurance providers will continue to cover vaccines that remain on the recommended list through the end of 2025 as the new guidelines take effect.