US medical leaders condemn Trump’s bid to align vaccine policy with Denmark
Executive order seeks to reduce childhood vaccine schedule from 17 to 11 doses, citing a controversial assessment by political appointees. Danish researchers describe the proposal as scientifically unsound.
The American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians have issued strong condemnations of President Donald Trump’s executive order, which seeks to align United States childhood vaccine recommendations with those of Denmark. The order, signed on Friday, aims to reduce the number of recommended immunisations from 17 to 11, effectively removing guidance for rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B.
American Medical Association President Bobby Mukkamala stated that there is no credible scientific evidence to support such a change. He emphasised that the current vaccine schedule is built on decades of rigorous research and real-world data designed to protect children in the US based on the nation’s specific disease burden. The association warned that altering the schedule without clear, evidence-based justification risks confusing parents, undermining trust in vaccines, and lowering vaccination rates.
The policy shift stems from a comprehensive scientific assessment conducted by political appointees Tracy Beth Høeg and Martin Kulldorff. Neither individual possesses expertise in vaccine policy, yet both are allies of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The assessment was signed off by Jim O’Neill, the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the time. The executive order explicitly names this assessment as a guiding resource for the federal government and directs the CDC to update the childhood and adolescent vaccine schedule.
This move follows a legal challenge initiated in March, when a federal judge issued a temporary injunction blocking similar changes. The judge found that Kennedy had violated federal regulations in implementing the alterations. While the federal government is currently appealing that decision, the new executive order reaffirms the administration’s intention to adopt Denmark’s strategy, claiming it represents best practices from peer developed countries.
Danish researchers have also criticised the proposal. Anders Hviid, who leads vaccine safety research at the Statens Serum Institut, described the move as bizarre and surreal. He noted that Denmark’s low vaccine count makes it an outlier rather than a model for other nations. An analysis by Stat News further indicated that Denmark has the fewest recommended vaccines among 20 peer countries, while the US aligns more closely with nations such as South Korea and Brazil.
American College of Physicians President Jan Carney expressed deep concern on Monday, marking the second attempt by the administration to unilaterally substitute foreign vaccine guidance. She stated that the changes directed by the executive order cannot be allowed to move forward, emphasising that the US schedule was developed for the specific needs of the American population.
