Exclusive: HHS planning to overhaul childhood vaccine schedule to recommend fewer shots, source says [View all]

Source: CNN Health

Updated Dec 18, 2025, 11:19 PM ET
PUBLISHED Dec 18, 2025, 8:51 PM ET


The US Department of Health and Human Services is planning to overhaul the schedule of recommended vaccines for children in the US, a person familiar with the plans told CNN on Thursday.

The proposed new schedule would recommend fewer shots, bringing it closer in line with what’s recommended in other developed countries. The expectation is that the US schedule will be close to, if not identical to, recommendations in Denmark, according to the person, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak about the matter.

The plan has not been finalized and could still change. HHS had planned to make the announcement Friday afternoon, the person said, but it was pushed to 2026 so as not to conflict with White House plans to announce further efforts to lower drug costs through “Most Favored Nation” pricing.

An HHS spokesperson declined to comment and referred questions to the agency’s earlier statement that it had postponed a “children’s health announcement” until next year.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/18/health/hhs-childhood-vaccine-changes