(NewsNation) — The Department of Health and Human Services is preparing to announce an overhaul of the recommended childhood immunization schedule, a source familiar with the plans told NewsNation.
The schedule, set to be finalized next year, would include fewer shots for children, aligning with those of “peer, developed countries” such as Denmark.
However, health experts have noted significant differences in the U.S. and Denmark populations, disease rates and health care systems.
How does US vaccine schedule differ from Denmark?
Currently, Denmark does not recommend vaccinating children against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, whereas the U.S. does. RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The U.S. population exceeds 340 million, compared with just over 6 million in Denmark. Denmark also faces a different mix of infectious disease risks and recommends vaccines for just 10 diseases associated with serious illness or death.
President Donald Trump has criticized the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule, claiming it requires 72 vaccines for otherwise healthy babies — though he didn’t explain how he arrived at that number.
The U.S currently recommends childhood immunization against 17 diseases, more than many other countries, reflecting higher disease prevalence in some areas.
HHS and the CDC were scheduled to make an announcement on “children’s health” on Friday, but that briefing was postponed to the new year. A spokesperson for HHS declined to comment.
More vaccine policy changes
Health experts point to hepatitis B as an example of the contrast in vaccine schedules. In 2023, Denmark reported 99 new cases of chronic hepatitis B, according to the Statens Serum Institut, compared to more than 17,000 new cases in the U.S.
Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection that can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and death if left untreated.
The CDC recently stopped recommending vaccinating all newborns against hepatitis B within 24 hours after birth, a highly controversial change proposed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s hand-picked advisory committee.
Federal health recommendations suggest all newborns be vaccinated against hepatitis B on their first day of life. The advisory committee voted to recommend the vaccine only for those whose mothers test positive, as well as those whose mothers weren’t tested. For those families who decide not to administer a birth dose, the vaccination series would begin at 2 months of age.
The recommendations drew swift pushback from the medical community for upending 30 years of established guidance and practice.
Jim O’Neill, acting CDC director, will decide whether to accept the committee’s recommendation.
The committee has also voted to limit access to COVID-19 vaccines and to stop recommending the combined measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox vaccine until children are at least 4 years old.