The US Department of Health and Human Services announced on Monday, January 5, 2026, that it was harmonizing the US Childhood Vaccine schedule with those of other developed peer nations such as Japan, Denmark, and Germany. As a result, CDC has removed five vaccines from the “recommended for all children” category on the updated CDC Childhood Immunization Schedule: rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B.
In a huge win for informed consent, these vaccines have now been moved to a “shared clinical decision-making” category, similar to what was done with the Covid-19 vaccines for children several months ago. And per the adopted policy which recommends “Informed consent; not coercion,” healthcare providers are now advised to discuss the risks and benefits of these vaccines in detail with each parent before determining whether they are appropriate for each individual child. All vaccines, regardless of their category on the schedule, will remain covered by health insurance.
The CDC schedule changes were adopted by CDC Acting Director Jim O’Neil based on a comprehensive scientific assessment of US immunization practices compared to other peer nations, which emphasized: “The U.S. is a global outlier among peer nations in the number of target diseases included in its childhood vaccination schedule and in the total number of recommended vaccine doses.”
Citing America’s tremendous loss of trust in public health since the Covid-19 pandemic, the assessment called for a return to fundamental public health principles such as respect for personal autonomy and self-determination, pointing out finally that it is “generally considered contrary to basic medical ethics to coerce or require a medical intervention, and informed consent is a cornerstone of medical care in the U.S. and abroad.” The assessment listed the following as the “four pillars” of a successful childhood vaccination program:
While it is yet unclear how this will impact state school vaccine laws, it should hopefully help states wake up to the fact that all vaccine mandates crush civil and individual rights and need to be repealed. Rest assured, ICAN will be monitoring these developments closely!
