MDHHS Issues Statement about Federal Changes to Childhood Vaccine Schedule

Following updates to the U.S. childhood immunization schedule made on Jan. 5 by Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill, in his role as acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued the following statement:

“For decades, vaccines have played a critical role in the prevention and control of infectious diseases and significant reductions in childhood illnesses and fatalities. On Thursday, Dec. 18, Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian issued a Standing Recommendation advising health care professionals and families to follow the child and adolescent immunization schedule produced by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) or the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). We continue to stand by that recommendation.”

The underlying scientific evidence remains unchanged and continues to support the full AAP and AAFP vaccination schedules for children. Families should still be able to access the full range of childhood immunizations as recommended by the AAP and AAFP to protect their children from serious diseases. All vaccines, including those moved to shared clinical decision-making, remain covered with no out-of-pocket cost by Affordable Care Act-regulated private insurance plans and federal coverage programs such as Medicaid and the Vaccines for Children program, as HHS affirmed in its announcement.

Bagdasarian noted that the changes announced yesterday may create confusion for families and clinicians regarding school vaccine requirements, clinical workflows and the supply and use of combination vaccines.