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KFF experts shared insights on what the shifting policy for childhood and adult vaccination schedules means for state governments, the U.S. public health system, and Americans.
In the weeks after the Trump administration reduced the number of recommended childhood vaccines for routine use, the public’s trust in the CDC remains at its lowest point. Among those who have heard about the recent changes to the recommended childhood vaccine schedule, more say they expect the changes to have a negative impact than a positive one on children’s health.
Weeks after the Trump administration reduced the number of childhood vaccine recommended for routine use, public trust in the CDC is at its lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic, and less than half are confident in federal agencies' ability to make such recommendations. Among those who have heard about the revised recommendations, more say they expect the changes to have a negative impact than a positive one on children’s health.
Starting in May of last year, HHS Secretary Kennedy and the CDC/ACIP began to make changes to the federal vaccine schedule for children, culminating in an announcement on January 5 of this year with the most wide-ranging changes to date. This policy brief tracks the number of states that have announced they are no longer following federal government recommendations for childhood vaccines as of January 20, 2026.
A new features from AI companies, like ChatGPT Health and Claude for Healthcare, aim to provide personalized health guidance, but may still provide wrong or dangerous health advice. And, as the U.S. experiences a severe flu season, a vaccine-strain mismatch may be contributing to misconceptions that flu vaccines are ineffective.
This brief looks at newly announced changes by HHS to the pediatric vaccination schedule, which reduce the number of vaccines recommended for all children. Implications of these changes for childhood vaccination rates and trust in public health are discussed.
This policy watch describes recent Trump administration changes to Medicaid vaccine reporting requirements and explores what the end of state reporting requirements may mean for how the U.S. tracks childhood vaccinations rates.
Secretary Kennedy's efforts to narrow the childhood vaccine schedule does not reflect the views of most parents, but KFF polling suggests it may have more appeal among President Trump's base.
Adopting Denmark’s vaccine schedule, as HHS Secretary Kennedy's vaccine advisors have suggested, would likely lower childhood vaccination rates in the U.S. as certain vaccines become harder to access.
Nearly two weeks after a CDC advisory panel voted to end the recommendation for newborn hepatitis B vaccination, conversations about vaccination schedules and parental choice remain elevated. Meanwhile, narratives about an FDA memo alleging COVID-19 vaccines caused 10 pediatric deaths have shifted toward claims of a government cover-up.
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