The US childhood vaccine schedule differs significantly from schedules in other countries
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Official records and analyses confirm that the U.S. childhood immunization schedule differs from those of peer nations, specifically regarding overall dose counts and universal seasonal recommendations, while noting ongoing debates over comparative counting methods.
of U.S. childhood immunization practices, following a directive from President Trump to review international best practices from peer, developed countries.
On December 5, 2025, via a Presidential Memorandum , President Trump directed the Secretary of HHS and the Acting Director of CDC to examine how peer, developed nations structure their childhood vaccination schedules and to evaluate the scientific evidence underlying those practices. He instructed them to update the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule if superior approaches exist abroad while preserving access to vaccine currently available to Americans.
After consulting with health ministries of peer nations, considering the assessment's findings, and reviewing the decision memo presented by National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Food and Drug Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, Acting Director O'Neill formally accepted the recommendations and directed the CDC to move forward with implementation.
"President Trump directed us to examine how other developed nations protect their children and to take action if they are doing better," Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. "After an exhaustive review of the evidence, we are aligning the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule with international consensus while strengthening transparency and informed consent. This decision protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health."
The scientific assessment compared U.S. childhood immunization recommendations with those of peer nations, analyzed vaccine uptake and public trust, evaluated clinical and epidemiological evidence and knowledge gaps, examined vaccine mandates, and identified next steps.
The assessment reviewed 20 peer, developed nations and found that the U.S. is a global outlier among developed nations in both the number of diseases addressed in its routine childhood vaccination schedule and the total number of recommended doses but does not have hi
9 vaccination until recently.
Seasonal Vaccines Lead to High Dose Counts
There is some truth to the idea that the U.S. vaccine schedule recommends a relatively high number of doses. However, anti-vaccine advocates often justify dramatically high numbers of doses compared with other countries by using misleading methods of counting.
In reality, a person could complete the U.S. childhood and adolescent vaccine schedule as of early 2025 while receiving less than two dozen shots and oral vaccines, not including flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
Høeg acknowledged during her presentation that in arriving at a count of 72 doses, she had counted “the yearly influenza vaccine,” but she omitted context on other countries’ flu vaccine recommendations.
The U.S. does stand out somewhat in having a longstanding universal recommendation for seasonal flu shots, including for children age 6 months and older. The universal childhood flu vaccine recommendations were progressively adopted in the U.S. in the 2000s, expanding to cover kids up through age 18 before the 2008-2009 flu season.
However, the U.S. is not alone in recommending childhood flu vaccination. In Europe, for example, flu vaccination recommendations for children have become more common in recent years, according to a November 2025 report from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control. During last year’s flu season, six of the 30 European countries analyzed had universal recommendations throughout childhood beginning at 6 months, and another 13 countries had universal recommendations for certain age groups. (The remaining countries — including Denmark and Germany — recommended the vaccines to children with certain risk factors.) In our analysis of OECD countries with advanced economies, 22 out of 31 nations recommended universal flu vaccination for at least some portion of childhood.
In her dose comparisons , Høeg did not highlight vaccine recommendations from any countries that universally recomm
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