HHS justifies its decision, but health experts  including American Academy of Pediatrics criticizes action

By G.A. McNeeley

January 8, 2026 (Washington D.C.) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services  on January 5 announced that it is slashing the number of diseases for which vaccines are recommended for children from 17 to 11. 

The action drew swift condemnation from the American Academy of Pediatrics.  In a press release, the professional organization representing children’s doctors calls the changes “dangerous and unnecessary.”