US pares back childhood vaccine schedule, citing Denmark model

The US Department of Health and Human Services has announced a sweeping revision to the childhood vaccination schedule, sharply reducing the number of shots recommended for all children and moving closer to Denmark’s approach. The shift replaces a single universal policy with a tiered framework.

Under the revised guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccines are now grouped into those advised for all children, those limited to high-risk groups, and those offered through shared clinical decision-making. Universal recommendations now cover 11 diseases, down from 18 earlier this year.

The CDC continues to back routine vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcal disease, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox and human papillomavirus. For HPV, only a single dose is now recommended rather than two.