The White House has issued a memorandum directing federal health officials to review and potentially revise the United States' core childhood vaccine recommendations. The directive, signed by Donald J. Trump, instructs the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to examine best practices from other developed countries regarding vaccines recommended for all children.
Currently, the United States recommends vaccination against 18 diseases for children, including COVID-19. This number is higher than in many peer nations; Denmark recommends vaccines for 10 diseases, Japan for 14, and Germany for 15. The memorandum notes that U.S. policies differ from those in most developed countries and calls for a study to ensure Americans receive "the best, scientifically-supported medical advice in the world."
The directive states: "I hereby direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review best practices from peer, developed countries for core childhood vaccination recommendations — vaccines recommended for all children — and the scientific evidence that informs those best practices, and, if they determine that those best practices are superior to current domestic recommendations, update the United States core childhood vaccine schedule to align with such scientific evidence and best practices from peer, developed countries while preserving access to vaccines currently available to Americans."
The memorandum clarifies that it does not create any enforceable rights or benefits.
