Which Immunization Schedule Should You Follow?
Do you want to leave your kids at risk to get a vaccine-preventable disease?
As Robert F. Kennedy, Jr continues to muck with our public health policies, it is no surprise that folks are getting more and more confused about what they should be doing.
That’s especially true when you start talking about vaccines.
Which Immunization Schedule Should You Follow?
After all, RFK, Jr has done quite a bit to disrupt our standard vaccine policy, from firing/replacing all the members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, to issuing a new immunization schedule in which he no longer routinely recommends several important child vaccines that provide protection against seven different vaccine preventable diseases.
While Kennedy claims that he made the change ‘after an exhaustive review of the evidence,’ it is clear to most people that he was simply fulfilling a long term goal of the modern anti-vaccine movement.
And that’s why the changes to the immunization schedule are being challenged by medical experts in court and are being investigated by members of Congress.
“These changes were not made by independent, subject matter experts – as historically has been the process. Instead, these recommendations were developed by political appointees pursuing your long-held ideological agenda that is unsupported by science. The press release from Acting Director O’Neill falsely claims that these changes will improve “clarity, adherence, and public confidence.” 2 These arbitrary changes have and will continue to sow confusion, risk lives, and undermine public confidence in vaccines. We demand the science- based childhood immunization schedule be reinstated immediately.”
Joint Letter to Kennedy from Members of Congress
It is also why many parents are ignoring the recommendations of the Kennedy CDC and are instead looking to trusted experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and other organizations.
“ACOG endorses the CDC's Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule for Ages 19 Years or Older, published and originally endorsed in 2024 and posted here, including the recommendation that pregnant and lactating individuals receive the COVID-19 vaccine. ACOG does not endorse the CDC's most recent recommendations, dated May 29, 2025, which has removed the COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for pregnant and lactating individuals.”
ACOG - Immunization, Infectious Disease, and Public Health Preparedness Program
Experts who continue to recommend that your kids and yourself be fully vaccinated and protected.
“The AAP schedule provides the latest, trusted guidance on when children and teens should receive each immunization. Every vaccine included has been thoroughly studied and licensed by the Food and Drug Administration.”
AAP - All About the AAP Recommended Immunization Schedule
Advice that will help reduce your risk of getting sick with a life-threatening, vaccine preventable disease.
Which Immunization Schedule Should You Follow Q&A
Still have questions?
Should you follow Kennedy’s new CDC immunization? Technically, his schedule doesn’t say that you shouldn’t give your child any vaccines. It simply moves many vaccines from recommended to either high risk groups or to a shared clinical-decision making model. So you could follow Kennedy’s new CDC immunization schedule and your child could still be fully vaccinated and protected!
“Shared clinical-decision making are individually based and informed by a discussion between the health care provider and the patient and/or guardian.”
Assessment of the U.S. Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule Compared to Other Countries
The only problem with this approach is that many parents are not making a truly informed decision because their decisions have become overly influenced by anti-vaccine influencers.
What’s wrong with the Assessment of the U.S. Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule Compared to Other Countries? Written by Tracy Beth Høeg and Martin Kulldorff, it is chock-full of anti-vaccine talking points that have been refuted a thousand times. From too many too soon and the idea that our vaccines haven’t been well tested with placebos to the myth that vaccines haven’t been well tested to evaluate their long term effects. And instead of restoring trust in public health, as they claim to be doing, their new schedule simply sows more confusion and puts the lives of our children at risk.
Will your child be covered by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) if your pediatric provider is following the American Academy of Pediatrics immunization schedule? Of course! All vaccines listed in the vaccine injury table, even if they are moved to the new shared clinical-decision making model of RFK Jr’s CDC, are still covered under the NVICP. Anyway, many vaccines that aren’t covered by the NVICP, like the rabies vaccine and pneumovax vaccine, etc., have long been given to children.
Why can’t the United States have the same immunization schedule as Denmark? For one thing, there are just over 340 million people in the US vs only around 6 million people in Denmark! Also, Denmark has a universal, tax-funded healthcare system, whereas the United States does not. Do you need any other reasons?
How many organizations have questioned the CDC immunization changes? In addition to the AAP, over 200 national and state organizations have urged their Senators, Representatives, and the acting CDC director to roll back the changes and work to get our kids vaccinated and protected.
“Comparisons between the US childhood immunization schedule and those of other countries, including Denmark, risk overlooking fundamental differences in population size, diversity, healthcare access, and infectious disease burden. These differences matter. US immunization policy must be guided by a transparent, evidence-based process and grounded in US epidemiology and real-world risk.”
Joint Letter on US Childhood Immunization Schedule
How many medical organizations have endorsed the AAP immunization schedule? The AAP immunization schedule has been formally endorsed by at least 14 medical organizations, including the:
How many states have endorsed or adopted the AAP immunization schedule? At least 23 states and Washington D.C. plan to follow the AAP immunization schedule, rejecting the changes made by RFK Jr to the CDC immunization schedule. Even more are rejecting some changes, like Kennedy’s decision to stop the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine.
But what’s the harm in skipping or delaying some vaccines as Kennedy and his MAHA followers suggest? Well, there is the harm that your child will catch a life-threatening vaccine preventable disease if they aren’t vaccinated! That’s not something you will hear from Kennedy though. They still think you can get away with hiding in the herd, even as cases of many diseases rise. His CDC report went so far as to dismiss the benefits of the rotavirus vaccines, even when it was clear that rotavirus deaths were twice as high when we didn’t have a vaccine! And he cites a “low incidence of meningococcal disease in the U.S.,” but it is likely low because most kids are vaccinated and protected! And he fails to mention that 90% of children who die with flu are unvaccinated!
Mostly, know that Kennedy’s new CDC schedule is basically just a new, non-evidence based alternative immunization schedule that will put kids at risk, just like previous ones from Jay Gordon, Bob Sears, Stephanie Cave, Paul Thomas, and Peter McCullough. These all add extra risk for you and your family, without any benefits.
“Eighty-five percent of parents said they trust their child’s pediatrician on vaccines — a level of confidence that cuts across political divides, including among Republicans who support President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement and parents who support Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.”
Vaccine poll asks parents what they think about RFK Jr. and their pediatricians
And that’s why you should find a pediatric provider you trust and stick to the standard AAP immunization schedule if you want your family to be safe and protected.
More on Changes to the Immunization Schedule
AAP - Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule for Ages 18 Years or Younger
AAP - The American Academy of Pediatrics Releases Its Own Evidence-Based Immunization Schedule
Hepatitis B Foundation Vaccine recommendations revisions by federal officials: Our response
March of Dimes Statement on Updates to U.S. Childhood Vaccines
US Shrinks Childhood Vaccine Schedule; Drops Six Common Vaccines from CDC Recommendations
Provider Liability Concerns with Changes to the CDC Childhood Immunization Schedule
Vaccine poll asks parents what they think about RFK Jr. and their pediatricians https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/10/10/pediatricians-vaccine-trust-influencers-rfk-jr/
Easy question, follow the one that professional experts recommend. Clearly that’s not the CDC.