AAP Rejects CDC Vaccine Schedule, Reaffirms 18‑Disease Routine Shots Amid Lawsuit
Updated (2 articles)
AAP Officially Rejects CDC’s Revised Immunization Schedule The American Academy of Pediatrics announced it will no longer endorse the CDC’s updated childhood and adolescent vaccine schedule, issuing a policy statement in Pediatrics that reverses the agency’s earlier revisions [1][2]. The academy will continue recommending routine vaccinations for 18 diseases, arguing that the CDC changes stray from established medical evidence and compromise optimal protection for U.S. children. AAP President Dr. Andrew Racine emphasized the organization’s commitment to science‑based guidance rooted in six decades of public‑health success.
CDC’s New Schedule Limits Several Vaccines to High‑Risk Groups The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released an updated schedule that restricts routine administration of RSV, influenza, hepatitis A and B, rotavirus, and meningococcal vaccines to high‑risk populations or cases requiring shared decision‑making [1][2]. The revision draws partially from Denmark’s vaccination approach, aiming to tailor protection based on individual risk assessments. Critics note the narrower guidance departs from longstanding U.S. practice and could leave many children under‑protected.
Broad Medical Community Backs AAP’s 2026 Schedule Twelve leading medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the American Academy of Family Physicians, have endorsed the AAP’s 2026 schedule that maintains routine coverage for the 18 diseases [1][2]. These endorsements reinforce the schedule’s credibility and signal wide professional support for the traditional immunization framework. The AAP cites this consensus as evidence that its recommendations remain grounded in robust scientific consensus.
Children’s Health Defense Files Racketeering Lawsuit Against AAP Anti‑vaccine group Children’s Health Defense sued the AAP, alleging racketeering, misleading families about vaccine safety, undisclosed financial ties to manufacturers, and concealment of National Academy of Medicine review findings [1][2]. The AAP refuted the claims, pointing to safety reviews that found no evidence the schedule is unsafe and emphasizing the long‑standing benefits of routine childhood vaccinations. The lawsuit adds a legal dimension to the ongoing debate over U.S. vaccine policy.
Sources (2 articles)
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[1]
WBNS (Columbus, OH): “AAP Rejects CDC Vaccine Schedule Changes, Reaffirms Routine Childhood Shots” – Details the AAP’s reversal of CDC guidance, the 12‑group endorsement of its 18‑disease schedule, and the Children’s Health Defense racketeering lawsuit .
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[2]
King5 (Seattle, WA): “AAP Rejects CDC Vaccine Schedule, Reaffirms Routine Childhood Shots” – Mirrors the WBNS report, highlighting the policy statement, CDC’s narrowed recommendations, broad medical backing, and the lawsuit’s allegations and AAP’s rebuttal .
Timeline
Early Jan 2026 – The CDC releases an updated childhood‑and‑adolescent immunization schedule that limits routine use of RSV, influenza, hepatitis A & B, rotavirus, and meningococcal vaccines to high‑risk groups or shared decision‑making, modeling part of the approach on Denmark’s vaccination policy [1][2].
Jan 26, 2026 – The American Academy of Pediatrics publishes a policy statement in Pediatrics rejecting the CDC’s revised schedule and reaffirming its own 2026 schedule that recommends routine vaccination against 18 diseases, arguing the CDC changes depart from established scientific evidence [1][2].
Jan 26, 2026 – AAP President Dr. Andrew Racine states, “for more than 60 years, millions of children and American communities have benefited from routine childhood vaccinations,” underscoring the academy’s long‑standing public‑health impact [1][2].
2026 (by Jan 26) – Twelve major medical organizations—including the American Medical Association, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and American Academy of Family Physicians—endorse the AAP’s 2026 immunization schedule, bolstering its credibility within the health‑care community [1][2].
Late Jan 2026 (days after Jan 26) – Children’s Health Defense files a federal racketeering lawsuit against the AAP, alleging misleading families about vaccine safety and undisclosed financial ties to manufacturers; the AAP refutes the allegations, citing safety reviews that found no evidence the schedule is unsafe [1][2].