Today, federal officials arbitrarily stopped recommending certain routine childhood immunizations and adopted recommendations based on Denmark’s schedule. This decision was based on false premises that the U.S. schedule is unsafe and includes too many vaccines. In truth, the process used to determine the schedule has – until now – been based in rigorous scientific review of the available evidence and made in the context of the U.S.’s specific demographics, disease threats, health systems, childhood health visit schedules, vaccine delivery systems, and costs. These in Denmark look very different, and therefore their schedule is appropriate to them and their system of care. The U.S. is not Denmark.
This decision could result in parents delaying or skipping vaccines, putting kids at risk. The childhood vaccine schedule is aimed to protect kids from dangerous and sometimes deadly diseases. Each dose is timed to work best with a childās developing immune system and to provide protection when the child is most at risk for illness. The U.S.’s previous vaccine program has been lauded as a gold standard. Over the past 20 years, it’s led to the prevention of over 500 million illnesses, 32 million hospitalizations, and 1.1 million deaths, as well as direct savings of $540 billion and societal savings of $2.7 trillion. It is irresponsible to throw away the decades-long, rigorous, and evidence-based process used to develop and hone this schedule. We stand with other experts in urging federal officials to return to it.
Learn from the American Academy of Pediatrics about why it’s important to consider the U.S. landscape when making decisions about our childhood schedule.
Read Colorado Chooses Vaccines’ statement.