The Daily The R.F.K. Jr. Era of Childhood Vaccines
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Jan 8, 2026 
Apoorva Mandavilli, a science reporter at The New York Times, and Benjamin Mueller, a health and medicine reporter, dive into the recent CDC cuts to childhood vaccines under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. They discuss which vaccines have been removed and the rationale behind this shift toward individualized decision-making. The duo also explores the medical community's divided reactions, concerns about clinician time, and potential public health implications. The roots of vaccine skepticism in the broader medical freedom movement are examined, alongside practical advice for parents on vaccine access.
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CDC Cuts Routine Childhood Vaccine List
- The CDC trimmed routine childhood vaccine recommendations from 17 diseases to 11 under RFK Jr.'s leadership.
- Several vaccines were moved to shared clinical decision-making or high-risk categories rather than fully removed.
A Shift Toward Individualized Vaccine Decision-Making
- Kennedy favors a more individualized, consult-your-doctor approach rather than a population-wide one-size-fits-all schedule.
- He used Denmark as a model to justify a pared-down U.S. vaccine program despite differing health systems.
Shared Decision-Making Raises Practical Barriers
- The new guidance relies on shared clinical decision-making between parents and pediatricians.
- That increases counseling burdens and may worsen confusion when clinicians lack time to discuss many vaccines.