RFK Jr. GUTS Childhood Vaccine List

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has orchestrated the most dramatic overhaul of childhood vaccine policy in American history, slashing CDC recommendations from 17 vaccines to just 11 and igniting a firestorm that exposes decades of unanswered questions about vaccine safety protocols.

Story Snapshot

CDC reduced universally recommended childhood vaccines from 17 to 11 on January 5, 2026, removing flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A and B, and certain meningitis vaccines from routine schedules
Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill justified changes based on “comprehensive scientific assessment” while traditional medical organizations filed lawsuits to block implementation
American Academy of Pediatrics maintains parallel schedule identical to pre-Kennedy recommendations, creating conflicting guidance for parents and healthcare providers
Institute of Medicine reports from 2002 and 2013 previously called for more research after finding no studies directly comparing vaccinated versus unvaccinated children’s health outcomes

Federal Agency Overrides Medical Establishment Consensus

The CDC announced on January 5, 2026, an unprecedented reduction in childhood immunization recommendations, consolidating universal vaccine guidance from 17 vaccines down to 11. Acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill signed the decision memorandum after what officials described as a comprehensive scientific review. The changes shifted multiple vaccines including flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, RSV, and certain meningococcal vaccines from universal recommendations to either high-risk category designations or shared clinical decision-making frameworks. The HPV vaccine dosing schedule was reduced from two to three doses down to a single dose. This represents the most significant federal departure from consensus-based vaccination policy in modern American public health history.

Medical Organizations Launch Legal Counteroffensive

The American Academy of Pediatrics responded to the federal policy shift by filing an updated lawsuit seeking to block the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ February 2026 meeting and reverse the schedule changes. The AAP simultaneously published its own immunization schedule identical to pre-Kennedy CDC recommendations, which several states have adopted in defiance of federal guidance. This created a regulatory schism where healthcare providers face conflicting directives from federal health agencies versus professional medical organizations. The AAP specifically challenged the elimination of newborn hepatitis B vaccinations, warning that children would die as a result. The organization accused Kennedy of violating the Administrative Procedure Act by implementing changes without formal public comment periods or transparent data review processes.

Decades-Old Safety Testing Questions Resurface

The policy changes have revived long-standing debates about comprehensive vaccine schedule safety testing. Institute of Medicine reports from 2002 and 2013 called for additional research after concluding that no studies had directly compared health outcomes between fully vaccinated and completely unvaccinated children. Children’s Health Defense filed a RICO lawsuit against the AAP, alleging the organization made fraudulent claims about vaccine safety while concealing these Institute of Medicine findings. The lawsuit challenges the scientific basis for a 2002 article by Dr. Paul Offit claiming infants could theoretically receive 10,000 vaccines simultaneously without health risk, a claim that became foundational to AAP’s defense of expanded schedules and was incorporated into the organization’s standard pediatric disease prevention guide.

Expert Community Fractures Over Policy Direction

Georgetown University infectious disease expert Dr. Jesse Goodman, former FDA chief scientist, characterized the announcement as a catastrophic development, predicting increased diseases, infections, and hospitalizations. University of Minnesota CIDRAP director Dr. Michael Osterholm called the decision radical and dangerous, emphasizing that eliminating vital childhood vaccine recommendations without public discussion or transparent data review puts lives at risk. Infectious Diseases Society of America President Dr. Ronald Nahass warned the changes demonstrate disregard for confusion families already face amid ongoing outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. No mainstream medical organizations have publicly supported the schedule reduction, though vaccine safety advocacy groups view the changes as overdue corrections addressing parental concerns about excessive immunization protocols and potential regulatory capture by pharmaceutical industry interests.

Insurance Coverage Maintains Access Despite Recommendation Changes

Federal officials confirmed that insurance companies will continue covering all vaccines for affected diseases regardless of their removal from universal recommendation categories. Parents who want their children to receive the full pre-Kennedy immunization schedule retain access without out-of-pocket costs. This preserves individual choice while fundamentally altering the federal government’s guidance framework. Healthcare providers face uncertainty about which patients qualify for high-risk designations and how to navigate shared decision-making conversations for vaccines previously considered routine. The policy creates potential for reduced vaccination rates as default recommendations shift from universal protection to risk-stratified approaches, representing a philosophical transformation in how America approaches childhood disease prevention and parental autonomy in medical decision-making.