Catholic doctors and ethicists react to CDC’s revised childhood vaccine schedule

CatholicmedicalprofessionalsandethicistshadmixedreactionstotheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention’s(CDC)announcementlastweekthatithasrevisedtherecommendedchildhoodandadolescentvaccineschedule. InapressreleaseonJan.5,theCDCannouncedarevisedrecommendedchildhoodimmunizationschedule,whichreducesthenumberofuniversallyrecommendedvaccinesfrom18to11.Itretainsroutinerecommendationsforallchildrenagainstmeasles,mumps,rubella,polio,pertussis,tetanus,diphtheria,Haemophilusinfluenzaetypeb,pneumococcaldisease,humanpapillomavirus(HPV),andvaricella(chickenpox). Vaccinesforrotavirus,influenza,COVID-19,hepatitisA,hepatitisB,meningococcaldisease,andRSVnowshifttorecommendationsforhigh-riskgroupsorafter“sharedclinicaldecision-making”betweenprovidersandfamilies. AccordingtoaDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices(HHS)memo,theCDC“appliessharedclinicaldecision-makingrecommendationswhenevidenceindicatesthatindividualsmaybenefitfromvaccinationbasedonananalys