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An extensive revision of US childhood vaccination guidelines has resulted in a decrease in the quantity of universally advised vaccines from 17 to 11.

The freshly released schedule from the CDC includes core vaccines for illnesses like polio and measles. However, others, including hepatitis A and B and Covid immunizations, are now categorized based on individual risk and subject to "shared medical deliberation" between doctors and parents.

"This revised recommendation is risky and needless," stated the AAP, labeling the policy.

This sweeping guideline change represents the most recent significant move implemented under the present government by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Official Justification and Global Comparison

Kennedy claimed the revision followed "following an thorough review" and "protects kids, honors parents, and restores trust in public health."

"We are aligning the American pediatric vaccine schedule with international standards while strengthening openness and parental choice," he added.

According to the statement, the updated universal recommendation for all children will include immunizations for:

• Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
• Polio
• Pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, and diphtheria (DTaP/Tdap)
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
• Pneumococcal disease
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Varicella (chickenpox)

Three Tiers of Guidance

The new framework establishes 3 separate tiers of vaccine guidance:

1. Universal Vaccines: The eleven immunizations mentioned above are advised for every youngsters.
2. Conditional Recommendations: This category includes shots for RSV, hepatitis A, Hep B, dengue fever, and meningitis types (ACWY and B). These are suggested based on a child's individual risk factors.
3. Shared Decision-Making Vaccines: Immunizations for Covid-19, the flu, and a stomach virus are now subject to discretionary consultation and choice between parents and their doctors.

Currently, medical coverage will still pay for immunizations that are currently on the schedule until the end of 2025.

International Perspective and Recent Controversy

The CDC conducted a review of existing pediatric recommendations with those of 20 other developed nations. It determined the United States was "an international exception" in both the number of illnesses targeted and the number of shots administered, the Department of Health and Human Services reported.

This recent announcement comes weeks following a different CDC panel modified the timing for the first hepatitis B vaccine. Formerly, a first shot was recommended for newborns within a day of delivery. Updated rules last December shifted that to two months post birth if the mother tested negative for the virus.

That earlier change was widely criticised by paediatricians, with the AAP describing it "a dangerous move that will hurt children."