The United States amends its childhood vaccination schedule, sparking widespread controversy.

The U.S. Department of Health announced on Monday a comprehensive overhaul of the recommended vaccination schedule for children in the United States , a move welcomed by the administration but which simultaneously sparked widespread controversy among health experts and doctors.

Under the new amendment, the overall recommendations for childhood vaccinations have decreased from 17 to only 11 vaccines, while six of the previously recommended vaccines are now restricted to “high-risk” groups and are given based on a “clinical agreement between the parents and the doctor.”

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , known for his controversial stance on vaccines, said the new schedule is in line with international consensus and the standards of developed countries, stressing the importance of “trust and transparency ” in health policies.

US President Donald Trump praised the change on his platform, describing the schedule as “more sensible” compared to the old one, and stressed that parents can still vaccinate their children with all vaccines if they wish, and that they will remain covered by health insurance systems.

This move was widely rejected by public health professionals. Infectious disease and pediatric expert Sean O’Leary said the U.S. immunization schedule was one of the most accurate tools for protecting children from potentially fatal diseases, warning that any change should be based on strong scientific evidence and not just comparisons between different health systems.

Many doctors criticized the change, saying it was made without consulting the usual scientific committee, raising concerns that the move could lead to lower vaccination rates and an increase in the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases.

Vaccines that are no longer generally recommended for children include the flu vaccine, hepatitis A and B vaccine, meningococcal vaccine, and rotavirus vaccine, while the COVID-19 vaccine was removed from the schedule several months ago.