The U.S. President orders vaccine schedule review

The U.S. president signed a memorandum directing health agencies to review the national childhood vaccine schedule and consider aligning it with practices used in peer developed countries, after federal vaccine advisers moved to scale back the long-standing recommendation that all newborns receive a hepatitis B dose at birth. The directive orders the Health and Human Services secretary and the CDC director to compare immunization schedules abroad, assess the scientific evidence, and update the U.S. core childhood schedule if foreign practices are judged superior—while preserving access to all currently approved vaccines for families who choose them, the White House said.

The policy shift, issued as the CDC’s advisory committee met, is among the most consequential changes to U.S. immunization strategy in decades and follows the committee’s vote to limit the universal newborn hepatitis B dose to infants whose mothers test positive or whose status is unknown. Supporters argue a review could identify unnecessarily burdensome elements of the U.S. schedule—where children routinely receive vaccines against more diseases than many European and Asian counterparts—and that a streamlined, evidence-based approach might reduce parental hesitancy.

Public-health experts, medical societies and former CDC officials have strongly criticized the move, warning that it appears politically driven and could overlook key differences in disease prevalence, prenatal screening coverage and healthcare infrastructure between the U.S. and comparator countries. Critics say universal newborn hepatitis B vaccination has been vital because not all mothers receive prenatal screening and because perinatal transmission carries lifelong risk; scaling back the policy could erode decades of progress, weaken herd immunity and increase outbreak risk, especially in underserved communities.

The memorandum launches a months-long process of research and consultation for HHS and the CDC, one likely to draw scrutiny from states, schools, pediatric associations and parent groups. Observers expect legal challenges and state-level resistance as stakeholders debate whether proposed changes would be advisory or mandatory. Meanwhile, hospitals and pediatricians face immediate uncertainty adapting to the revised hepatitis B guidance.

How expert input will be weighted and which international models will be deemed appropriate remain unclear. Health officials pledge an evidence-driven review, but many public-health authorities warn that reducing or delaying childhood vaccinations in the U.S. could widen disparities and undermine public trust. The review’s outcome is set to shape U.S. childhood immunization policy and the country’s stance in global public-health decision-making in the years ahead.