Federal Vaccine Changes Prompt Criticism and Mixed Reactions in Richmond
By: Romulus Sklavos
RICHMOND, Va. – Federal changes to childhood vaccine recommendations are drawing sharp criticism from medical groups while prompting differing responses from pediatricians and parents in Richmond.
The update – announced in early January – restructures the CDC’s childhood immunization schedule into three categories: vaccines recommended for all children, vaccines recommended for certain high-risk groups and vaccines left to shared clinical decision-making between families and health care providers. The change reduces the number of routine vaccines from 17 to 11.
According to an HHS press release, all vaccines included under the new framework will remain fully covered by insurance without cost sharing. Federal officials say the changes are intended to give families more flexibility in medical decision-making while maintaining access to vaccines.
Despite those assurances, the shift has drawn strong criticism from public health experts and pediatric organizations that say weakening routine recommendations could undermine vaccination rates and increase the risk of preventable disease outbreaks.
“This is a big mistake,” said former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden in an ABC News interview. “If followed, this change in recommendations would endanger a generation of American children.”
Several major medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, have filed a lawsuit against HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. They say the decision to alter the immunization schedule violates the Administrative Procedure Act by bypassing established scientific review processes.
“At a time when pediatricians and the public are looking for clear guidance and accurate information, this ill-considered decision will sow further chaos and confusion and erode confidence in immunizations,” said Dr. Andrew Racine, president of the AAP. “This is no way to make our country healthier.”
A federal judge temporarily blocked the schedule change on March 16 while legal challenges continue forward, according to a press release from the American Public Health Association.
The ruling is a major step toward restoring science-based vaccine policymaking, Richard Hughes IV said in a statement as the attorney for plaintiffs.
Under the new schedule, the CDC will continue recommending vaccines protecting against 11 diseases for all children, including measles, polio and tetanus. Vaccines for COVID-19, influenza, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and meningococcal disease are now categorized under shared clinical decision-making rather than routine use.
The CDC is also recommending six vaccines for children considered to be in high-risk groups, including shots protecting against respiratory syncytial virus, dengue and two forms of bacterial meningitis.
Parents in the Richmond area say the updated recommendations have added another layer of uncertainty to an already complex health care decision.
Deanna Powers, a Richmond mother of 1-year-old twins, said her pediatrician required her to sign paperwork agreeing to continue following the previous vaccine schedule. Powers said families who declined would be asked to find another provider and worries that reduced recommendations could expose young children to unnecessary risk in public spaces.
“I am a little bit afraid,” she said.
Mary Grace Leal, mother to a 2 year old and 10 month old, described a different experience. Leal said her pediatrician continued administering routine boosters without framing the visit around the federal changes, and that it’s not something that would “keep me up at night.” The changes make Leal feel uncomfortable. She plans to look for more data before making future decisions.
Romulus Sklavos 