Los Angeles: Fifteen Democratic-led U.S. states filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against the Donald Trump administration, challenging recent changes to federal childhood vaccination recommendations that they say undermine decades of medical science and put children at risk.
The lawsuit targets a policy shift announced in January by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic. Under the revised guidelines, several vaccines previously recommended for all children are now advised only for those deemed at higher risk.
The vaccines affected include protection against rotavirus, influenza, Covid-19, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningococcal disease, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other serious illnesses. Health officials warn the changes reverse years of evidence-based policy that helped dramatically reduce childhood disease in the United States.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is leading the lawsuit alongside Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, accused the administration of ignoring scientific consensus.
“Secretary Kennedy and his CDC are disregarding decades of medical research and putting unnecessary strain on states while making America’s children more vulnerable to preventable diseases,” Bonta said during a press conference.
The lawsuit names Kennedy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and HHS as defendants.
The Trump administration has defended the policy change by arguing that it aligns U.S. vaccination guidelines more closely with those of other countries, citing Denmark as a model. However, public health experts say the comparison is misleading, noting that Denmark has a centralized health care system with universal coverage—conditions that do not exist in the largely privatized U.S. system.
“Adopting Denmark’s vaccine schedule without adopting Denmark’s health care system doesn’t give families more choice—it leaves children exposed,” Mayes said.
Medical professionals across the country have expressed concern that the new policy could further accelerate declining vaccination rates, a trend that began during the Covid-19 pandemic. Public health officials warn this could lead to the resurgence of highly contagious diseases such as measles.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a vocal critic of Trump, said the state is returning to court to stop what he called a “reckless and unscientific” policy.
“Undermining trust in vaccines puts lives at risk and threatens public health nationwide,” Newsom said in a statement.
Other states joining the lawsuit include Colorado, Michigan, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. The case is expected to reignite a national debate over vaccine policy, public trust in science, and the federal government’s role in protecting children’s health.