August 11, 2026

Doctors for America Calls for Evidence-Based Immunization Policy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Doctors for America opposes President Trump’s executive order announcing changes to the U.S. vaccine schedule. The suggested schedule not only seeks to circumvent a court order blocking prior attempts by unqualified persons to change the vaccine schedule, it also cites long debunked claims about vaccines and autism to support a potentially harmful change to existing vaccine practice.

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Consistent with earlier, failed attempts by the Trump Administration, the Executive Order downgrades routine vaccine recommendations for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, COVID-19, rotavirus, influenza, and meningococcal disease to vaccines recommended only for high-risk groups, presenting this action as a shift toward “shared decision-making.” Additionally, the Executive Order proposes separating the single-dose measles, mumps, rubella vaccine into three separate vaccinations to be delivered at different times, which would delay immunity, expose infants to extra vaccinations, and increase the number of infants with incomplete immunity. These changes are not the result of new or evolving scientific evidence; in fact they contradict decades of safety research and physician experience. This Executive Order instead reflects  a broader pattern of dangerous, politically-driven interference in long-standing, evidence-based and expert-recommended public health guidance. 

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At the same time, vaccine recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) remain consistent with decades of rigorous research demonstrating the safety and efficacy of routine immunizations. The AAP’s 2026 immunization schedule has now been endorsed by Health Departments across the country and by more than 230 medical associations and health care organizations representing over one million clinicians. The AAP's recommendations reflect the same body of evidence we have had for years. As AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases Chair Dr. Sean O'Leary put it plainly: "Nothing has changed. Therefore, we continue to recommend those vaccines." 

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Every time a parent asks a question about a vaccine and a clinician answers it honestly, that is shared decision-making. Reframing vaccine recommendations under the banner of “shared decision-making” does not expand patient autonomy, it undermines it. Critically, insurance coverage follows recommendations. When vaccines are no longer classified as routine, coverage becomes uncertain, copays appear, and families quietly skip doses. Vaccines remain one of the most successful public health interventions in modern medicine. Their continued success depends on transparent, evidence-based recommendations free from political influence. 

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Recent data show declining routine childhood vaccination rates and rising exemption rates, underscoring the real-world consequences of weakening public confidence in immunization guidance. Ongoing measles outbreaks in the United States demonstrate the immediate consequences of reckless political manipulation of critical public health guidance.. 

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Doctors for America calls for the restoration and protection of independent, evidence-driven vaccine recommendations at the CDC. We reaffirm our support for established immunization schedules endorsed by medical experts and for the clinicians and families who rely on them. We will continue to advocate for policies that preserve access to preventive care and ensure that every patient can make informed decisions based on science, not politics

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About Doctors for America:

Doctors for America (DFA) is a national nonprofit that mobilizes over 40,000 physicians and medical trainees to advocate for policies that improve the health of patients and communities. Through advocacy training and action at the state and federal levels, DFA works to expand access to affordable care, strengthen community health and prevention, and advance health justice and equity. We do not accept funding from pharmaceutical, insurance, or for-profit health care entities, ensuring our work remains fiercely independent and patient-centered. DFA puts patients over politics–and over profits. Find out more at doctorsforamerica.org and on X @drsforamerica or Bluesky drsforamerica.bsky.social.

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