US Drops Vaccination Recommendations Amid Global Outcry Over Health Expert Warning
The US has become the only developed nation lagging behind its peers in vaccination rates, following the Trump administration's decision to scale back vaccination recommendations. The move, which effectively allows parents and doctors to decide when to administer certain vaccines, marks a significant shift away from the well-established vaccine schedule previously followed by the country.
Critics argue that this change has been driven more by ideology than scientific evidence, with experts warning of severe consequences for public health. Daniel Jernigan, former director of the National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, described the decision as an "astounding" escalation against vaccines. He stated that US health officials are "wanting fewer vaccines," and that they are inflating risks while downplaying benefits.
The changes have seen several key vaccine recommendations reduced or changed, including those for influenza, rotavirus, hepatitis A, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), and meningococcal disease. The dengue vaccine will only be recommended in high-risk areas. In contrast, most other developed nations offer vaccines to all children under a universal childhood schedule.
Health officials have claimed that this new US approach is closer to those of peer countries, but the reality is that many of these nations follow similar schedules and recommend broader vaccination programs. Experts warn that the lack of access to healthcare in the US will exacerbate the issue of vaccine disparities.
US health authorities admit that some vaccines may only be recommended for "high-risk" populations, which can result in unequal access for certain groups of children, such as newborns with hepatitis B who are at a higher risk of getting sick. Critics argue that this approach is not justifiable based on scientific evidence and ignores decades of accumulated knowledge about vaccine safety and effectiveness.
Critics have accused the administration of bypassing established scientific procedures to make this decision, without public input or consultation with experts. This has led to concerns that the process for making transparent decisions on vaccines has been swept aside.
"This is very concerning," said Jake Scott, an infectious diseases specialist and clinical associate professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. "We need to follow what our peer countries are doing and have universal healthcare."
The move is seen as a worrying trend in public health policy, with many experts fearing that it sets a precedent for future changes driven by ideological rather than evidence-based considerations.
In the words of Daniel Jernigan, "the science hasn't changed. The only thing that's changed is who's making the decisions and what conclusions they want to reach."
The US has become the only developed nation lagging behind its peers in vaccination rates, following the Trump administration's decision to scale back vaccination recommendations. The move, which effectively allows parents and doctors to decide when to administer certain vaccines, marks a significant shift away from the well-established vaccine schedule previously followed by the country.
Critics argue that this change has been driven more by ideology than scientific evidence, with experts warning of severe consequences for public health. Daniel Jernigan, former director of the National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, described the decision as an "astounding" escalation against vaccines. He stated that US health officials are "wanting fewer vaccines," and that they are inflating risks while downplaying benefits.
The changes have seen several key vaccine recommendations reduced or changed, including those for influenza, rotavirus, hepatitis A, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), and meningococcal disease. The dengue vaccine will only be recommended in high-risk areas. In contrast, most other developed nations offer vaccines to all children under a universal childhood schedule.
Health officials have claimed that this new US approach is closer to those of peer countries, but the reality is that many of these nations follow similar schedules and recommend broader vaccination programs. Experts warn that the lack of access to healthcare in the US will exacerbate the issue of vaccine disparities.
US health authorities admit that some vaccines may only be recommended for "high-risk" populations, which can result in unequal access for certain groups of children, such as newborns with hepatitis B who are at a higher risk of getting sick. Critics argue that this approach is not justifiable based on scientific evidence and ignores decades of accumulated knowledge about vaccine safety and effectiveness.
Critics have accused the administration of bypassing established scientific procedures to make this decision, without public input or consultation with experts. This has led to concerns that the process for making transparent decisions on vaccines has been swept aside.
"This is very concerning," said Jake Scott, an infectious diseases specialist and clinical associate professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. "We need to follow what our peer countries are doing and have universal healthcare."
The move is seen as a worrying trend in public health policy, with many experts fearing that it sets a precedent for future changes driven by ideological rather than evidence-based considerations.
In the words of Daniel Jernigan, "the science hasn't changed. The only thing that's changed is who's making the decisions and what conclusions they want to reach."
I'm so worried about this 
! Vaccine schedules are in place for a reason 
. Experts say it's not just about ideology, but also about protecting public health 
. Newborns with hepatitis B need extra protection 
. This new approach is like playing vaccine roulette 
- what if some groups don't get vaccinated on time? 
We need to follow the science and have universal healthcare 
their decision to scale back vaccination recommendations is so worrying 
its like theyre throwing public health out the window 
i mean we all know vaccines are safe and effective, but this new approach is just reckless 
critics are right to say it's driven by ideology rather than science 
and it's only gonna lead to more problems down the line 
we need to stand with our global peers who have universal childhood vaccination programs 
and make sure everyone has equal access to life-saving vaccines 
[ image of a person looking confused, with a thought bubble ] 
. I mean, I get it, the US has its issues with healthcare, but this is one area where we should be leading the way, not falling behind 
.
. If you look at other developed countries, they all have similar vaccination schedules and we should be following their lead not doing things out of thin air 
. But instead, the administration is just making this stuff up as they go along? It's unbelievable 
. We need to get back on track here and make vaccines a priority again 
This move by the US is crazy man! Like, vaccines are literally life-saving and now it's up to parents and doctors to decide when to give them? What if a parent doesn't know or can't afford to get their kid vaccinated? It's gonna be a disaster 