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| AAP urges vaccination for infants aged 6 - 23 months, while CDC guidance limits shots for healthy kids leaving parents and providers navigating mixed messages. |
In a rare split between two of the nation’s leading health authorities, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued conflicting recommendations on whether young children should receive COVID-19 vaccines.
The AAP is urging that all children aged six months to 23 months be vaccinated, citing higher hospitalization risks for this age group. By contrast, the CDC following guidance from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. no longer recommends COVID-19 vaccines for otherwise healthy children over six months old, instead limiting its advice to those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.
“For the youngest kids, the hospitalization rate is similar to that for adults aged 50 to 64 years,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary, chair of the AAP’s Committee on Infectious Diseases. “That’s not insignificant. And this is something preventable by a vaccine we know to be safe.”
Why the Guidance Differs
The policy divide comes after Kennedy dismissed all members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in June, accusing them of siding with pharmaceutical interests. He later replaced them with appointees holding more skeptical views on vaccines. The move prompted the AAP and other professional organizations to cut ties with the CDC’s advisory process, citing concerns that vaccine guidance is no longer grounded in evidence-based medicine.
Impact on Pediatricians and Families
The fallout is already being felt in doctors’ offices and pharmacies. Pediatricians say they are preparing for more difficult conversations with parents navigating the conflicting recommendations. While physicians may still prescribe vaccines “off-label,” pharmacists are bound to CDC and HHS rules—meaning they can administer shots if parents request them but cannot actively recommend them.
Uncertainty Around Insurance Coverage
Insurance coverage adds another layer of uncertainty. Under the Affordable Care Act, vaccines endorsed by ACIP are generally covered, but with the committee no longer recommending universal vaccination for children, insurers may question reimbursement. The AAP has already begun lobbying policymakers and private insurers to ensure coverage for the youngest children.
“Politics has entered the exam room in a way that it never has before,” said O’Leary. “Our message to families remains simple: we are committed to children’s health, and our recommendations are based on the best available science.”
The debate underscores the widening gap between medical societies and federal health authorities under the new HHS leadership a divide that could shape the future of childhood vaccination in the U.S.
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