What is the main difference between the AAP and CDC vaccine recommendations?

The AAP recommends immunizations against 18 diseases, while the CDC reduced its recommendations to 11 diseases.

Why does the AAP disagree with the CDC's vaccine guidance?

The AAP calls the CDC's updated guidance 'dangerous and unnecessary,' stating it departs from longstanding medical evidence and no longer offers optimal disease prevention for children.

Will insurance cover vaccines not recommended by the CDC?

Yes, insurance is expected to continue covering vaccines like the flu and COVID-19 vaccines, even if not explicitly recommended by the CDC, as long as parents desire them.

Home / Health / AAP Challenges CDC on Crucial Vaccine Guidance

AAP Challenges CDC on Crucial Vaccine Guidance

27 Jan

•

Summary

AAP recommends 18 vaccines; CDC cut recommendations to 11.
AAP calls CDC guidance 'dangerous and unnecessary'.
Pediatricians will follow AAP, urging open communication.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released its latest childhood vaccine recommendations on Monday, a move that sharply contrasts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) guidance issued earlier this month. The AAP is advocating for immunizations against 18 diseases, including RSV and hepatitis, while the CDC had reduced its recommendations to cover only 11 diseases.

In a statement, AAP President Andrew Racine affirmed the organization's dedication to science-rooted recommendations for infant, child, and adolescent health. Dr. Amanda Kravitz of Weill Cornell Medicine confirmed that the AAP's advice aligns with long-standing practices, ensuring no changes to the traditional vaccine schedule. Both organizations concur on essential vaccines like diphtheria, pertussis, polio, and MMR.

The CDC's adjusted guidance suggested limiting vaccines for RSV, hepatitis A and B, and meningococcal disease to high-risk children. The AAP, however, endorses these vaccines for all children, with a noted exception for the dengue vaccine, recommending it only for specific age groups in endemic areas. The AAP has strongly criticized the CDC's updated schedule as "dangerous and unnecessary."