A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked major changes to the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule while a lawsuit challenging the policy moves forward.
The court issued a stay preventing federal health officials from implementing the revised schedule introduced earlier this year.
“The Court concludes that Plaintiffs are likely to succeed in showing that the reconstitution of ACIP and the January 2026 changes to the childhood immunization schedule violate the Administrative Procedure Act,” the judge wrote in the ruling.
CHILDHOOD VACCINE CHANGES | US decreases the number of vaccines it recommends for every child
In January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidance recommending vaccines for 11 diseases for children, down from 17 previously recommended. Diseases no longer recommended for universal vaccination include influenza, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, some types of meningitis and RSV.
Several major medical organizations and patients sued, asking the court to restore the childhood immunization schedule that was in effect in April 2025, before the changes were made.
The American Academy of Pediatrics called Monday’s ruling “historic” and a “welcome outcome.”
“When Secretary Kennedy made unsupported and unscientific changes to pediatric immunization recommendations last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) was mission-bound to step up and push back against these dangerous actions that have sowed chaos and confusion for parents and pediatricians across the country,” the organization stated.” This decision effectively means that a science-based process for developing immunization recommendations is not to be trifled with and represents a critical step to restoring scientific decision-making to federal vaccine policy that has kept children healthy for years.”
A spokesperson for Health and Human Services decried Monday’s ruling.
“HHS looks forward to this judge’s decision being overturned just like his other attempts to keep the Trump administration from governing,” HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said.
