US health department seeks public feedback on vaccine guidelines after Trump order

Key Points:

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking public feedback on federal vaccine recommendations, including their categorization and communication, following President Trump's executive order aimed at reducing childhood vaccinations.
• The department is considering changes such as recommending some vaccines outside infancy or with qualifications and is asking for input on timing and sequencing, including broader age windows or separate visits for vaccinations.
• Public comments, including from parents, doctors, and health officials, are open until September 20 to help inform potential revisions to the vaccine recommendation framework.
• President Trump's executive order limits the childhood immunization schedule to 11 vaccines, a move aligned with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine stance, despite scientific consensus debunking links between vaccines and autism.
• HHS highlighted declining public trust in federal health authorities post-COVID-19 and noted concerns about past vaccine recommendation processes, seeking feedback to ensure scientific rigor, informed choice, and restored public confidence.