Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Begins Process to Align U.S. Core Childhood Vaccine Recommendations with Best Practices from Peer, Developed Countries

ALIGNING THE CHILDHOOD VACCINE SCHEDULE WITH INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to begin the process to align U.S. core childhood vaccine recommendations with best practices from peer, developed countries.

• The Memorandum directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS Secretary) and the Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Director) to review best practices from peer, developed countries for core childhood vaccination recommendations - vaccines recommended for all children - and the scientific evidence that informs those best practices.
• If the HHS Secretary and the CDC Director determine that those best practices are superior to current domestic recommendations, they are directed to update the United States core childhood vaccine schedule to align with such scientific evidence and best practices from peer, developed countries while preserving access to vaccines currently available to Americans.

ENSURING AMERICANS ARE RECEIVING THE BEST MEDICAL ADVICE IN THE WORLD: Among peer nations, the United States is a high outlier in the number of vaccinations recommended for all children.

• When President Trump returned to office in January 2025, the United States recommended vaccinating all children for 18 diseases, including COVID-19.
• By comparison, Denmark recommends vaccinations for just 10 diseases with serious morbidity or mortality risks, Japan recommends vaccinations for 14 diseases, and Germany recommends vaccinations for 15 diseases. The timing and administration of the vaccines also varies by country.
• The United States currently recommends yearly influenza vaccines starting at six months, while many peer countries do not recommend yearly influenza vaccination as a core vaccination for all children.
• Practices like the hepatitis B vaccination at birth are standard in the United States, but uncommon in most developed countries, where it is typically only recommended for newborns of mothers who test positive for the infection.

MAKING OUR CHILDREN HEALTHY AGAIN: President Trump is committed to building a healthier future for America, starting with our youngest generation.

• In February, President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the President's MAHA Commission, tasking the Commission with investigating and addressing the root causes of America's escalating health crisis-with an initial focus on childhood chronic diseases.
• The Trump Administration ended the blanket recommendation for all children to get the COVID-19 vaccine, updating its recommendation to be based on shared clinical decision-making between patients and clinicians.

In September, the MAHA Commission released the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy, a sweeping plan with more than 120 initiatives to reverse the failed policies that fueled America's childhood chronic disease epidemic. The strategy prioritized development of a vaccine framework that ensures America has the best childhood vaccine schedule.

In May, the MAHA Commission released the Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment, summarizing what is known and what questions remain regarding the childhood chronic disease crisis.