The CDC childhood vaccine schedule is bananas right now – here’s what families need to know
January 2026 – CDC sued over childhood vaccine schedule
Parents, caregivers and anyone keeping an eye on kids’ health headlines will have seen recent rumblings about the CDC being sued over its childhood vaccine schedule.
With all sorts of conflicting information and opinion floating around, it’s easy to feel confused. And, quite frankly, we do not have the bandwidth.
Here’s a plain-English round-up of the situation, what it means for families and the questions we’re hammering into Gemini.
Why is the CDC being sued?
The CDC (the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) sets the official US vaccine schedule for children. This includes when babies and kids should get vaccines for diseases such as measles, tetanus and polio.
Recently, the CDC has faced two separate lawsuits:
- A Public lawsuit claiming the schedule is “unsafe”: Some groups argue the CDC’s schedule is too aggressive, citing the “72-dose” count. It’s important to know this counts multiple doses of the same vaccines over several years, not dozens at once.
- Physicians and medical groups suing to block changes: Last week, major organisations – including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American College of Physicians (ACP) – filed a federal lawsuit challenging recent revisions to the schedule that reduce the number of vaccines universally recommended for children from 17 to 11.
These groups argue the CDC made changes without a transparent, evidence-based process. They want the previous schedule restored while the case proceeds.
For official information on the CDC’s current schedule, families can check the CDC’s website.
How many vaccines do children actually get?
Back to that 72 dose headline, children do not get dozens of shots in a single day. The schedule spreads doses over many years, and some vaccines require multiple shots to build full immunity.
If you check the CDC website, there’s a clear note to flag that the current guidance is being revised to reflect their recently updated childhood immunization recommendations.
Unsure? Their easy-read PDFs give a pretty good outline of their guidance as it stands. There’s one for birth to age 6, and another for ages 7 to 18, plus adults and pregnant women.
What about babies and newborns?
Understandably, there’s a lot of confusion – especially from new and first time parents for whom this may be a whole new rodeo. Here are a few quick-fire answers to 2026’s hottest questions so far.
What vaccines do babies get?
Hep B, DTaP, polio, Hib, PCV, rotavirus, sometimes flu.
When do kids get tetanus shots?
Tetanus protection comes through the DTaP vaccine: babies are recommended to get this at 2, 4, 6, 15-18 months, booster at 4-6 years, another at 11-12 years.
When do babies get the measles/MMR vaccine?
First dose at 12-15 months, second at 4-6 years.
The recent legal challenge from doctors isn’t about opposing vaccines. They are suing because they believe the CDC’s new revisions lack transparent, evidence-based support. Some vaccines that were previously recommended for all children, like flu, hepatitis A and B and RSV, have been shifted to “shared clinical decision-making” or targeted for high-risk groups.
The case has sparked debate about vaccine timing, mandates, and parental choice. While the lawsuit is ongoing, the CDC continues to recommend vaccines according to its schedule.
State specifics (and those Florida vaccine mandates)
Parents may also have seen recent headlines about Florida moving to roll back childhood vaccine mandates (the rules that require certain vaccines for school and childcare). State officials say the changes give families more choice, while doctors and public-health experts warn they could lower vaccination rates and increase the risk of outbreaks.
These proposed changes do not affect CDC recommendations. The CDC advises which vaccines protect children best, while individual states decide what is legally required for school. That means a vaccine can still be medically recommended even if it’s no longer mandatory in Florida.
For families, the key takeaway is to speak with their child’s doctor about what vaccines are appropriate for their age and health, regardless of changing state rules.
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