What's happened
President Trump has directed health officials to consider aligning the US childhood vaccination schedule with European countries like Denmark, which recommend fewer vaccines. This move, supported by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., raises concerns among health experts about potential impacts on disease control amid rising outbreaks of preventable illnesses.
What's behind the headline?
The push to align US vaccination policies with European countries like Denmark reflects a broader political and ideological shift. While European countries recommend fewer vaccines, their disease prevalence and healthcare systems differ significantly from the US. Adopting a similar schedule could undermine herd immunity, especially given the current resurgence of measles and other preventable diseases. Experts warn that bypassing evidence-based processes risks eroding public confidence and increasing outbreaks. Kennedy's influence, combined with political support, suggests a move driven more by ideology than public health data. This could lead to increased disease transmission, higher healthcare costs, and setbacks in disease elimination efforts. The US's current vaccination rates are already declining, and further reductions could exacerbate these trends, threatening decades of progress in disease control.
What the papers say
The articles from Politico, the New York Times, The Independent, and the NY Post highlight a coordinated effort by political figures, notably Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to reduce vaccine recommendations. Politico reports that Kennedy is considering advising parents to follow Denmark’s schedule, which many experts say would be a mistake. The NY Times emphasizes that this shift would bypass established, evidence-based processes and could impact vaccine coverage and disease outbreaks. The Independent details the rise in measles cases linked to vaccine hesitancy and misinformation, with experts warning that such policies could reverse progress in disease elimination. The NY Post criticizes the move as part of Kennedy’s anti-vaccine campaign, citing safety concerns and the potential for increased preventable illnesses. Contrasting opinions include public health officials warning of the dangers of reduced vaccination and political figures framing the change as a matter of personal freedom.
How we got here
The US vaccination schedule has historically included more vaccines than many European countries, driven by different disease prevalence, healthcare access, and policy decisions. Kennedy's influence and recent political directives have sparked discussions about reducing vaccine recommendations, amid rising measles outbreaks and vaccine hesitancy fueled by misinformation.
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Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. (born January 17, 1954), also known by his initials RFK Jr., is an American politician, environmental lawyer, author, conspiracy theorist, and anti-vaccine activist serving as the 26th United States secretary of health and human
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Ronald "Ron" Dion DeSantis is an American attorney, naval officer, and Republican politician. He has served as the 46th governor of Florida since 2019, and he represented Florida's 6th congressional district in Congress from 2013 to 2018.
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The Florida Department of Health is responsible for protecting the public health and safety of the residents and visitors of the state of Florida.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a national public health institute in the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Measles (probably from Middle Dutch or Middle High German masel(e), meaning "blemish, blood blister") is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable infectious disease caused by measles virus. Other names include morbilli, rubeola, 9-day measles, red measles
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Denmark, officially the Kingdom of Denmark, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. Denmark proper, which is the southernmost of the Scandinavian countries, consists of a peninsula, Jutland, and an archipelago of 443 named islands, with the largest being
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Michael T. Osterholm is an American epidemiologist, regents professor, and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.
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Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.