Trump directs CDC to align with assessment calling for fewer childhood vaccines

Politics Trump signs order directing CDC to align with assessment calling for fewer childhood vaccines By Faris Tanyos Faris Tanyos News Editor Faris Tanyos is a news editor for CBSNews.com, where he writes and edits stories and tracks breaking news. He previously worked as a digital news producer at several local news stations up and down the West Coast. Read Full Bio Faris Tanyos May 29, 2026 / 9:24 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google President Trump signed an executive order Friday that directs the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to align with a scientific assessment released earlier this year by the Department of Health and Human Services that calls for fewer childhood vaccines. The move comes after Mr. Trump in December issued a memo directing HHS to align U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations with "best practices from peer, developed countries."In early January, HHS released an assessment that determined the U.S. "recommends more childhood vaccines than any peer nation, and more than twice as many vaccine doses as some European nations."Following that assessment, the CDC, which is part of HHS, announced updated recommendations in January that would reduce the number of recommended immunizations for children from 17 to 11. The move prompted heavy criticism from medical experts and health organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, which subsequently chose to release its own childhood vaccine recommendations, breaking significantly with the CDC guidance. Friday's executive order directs the CDC and the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, to review HHS' January "scientific assessment and the latest clinical data" and "take any appropriate steps to update the United States childhood and adolescent vaccine schedule.""By signing today's Executive Order, President Trump is reaffirming his commitment to gold-standard science, ensuring Americans receive the best possible medical advice, and empow...