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Dr. James Jarvis is president of the Maine Medical Association, representing more than 4,500 allopathic and osteopathic physicians, residents, and medical students across Maine.
This week, federal health officials made an unprecedented decision that threatens decades of progress in protecting America’s children from preventable diseases. Without transparent scientific review, without consulting medical experts who care for children every day, and without public input, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention drastically reduced vaccines routinely recommended for all children — from 18 diseases to just 11.
As physicians dedicated to protecting Maine’s children, we cannot remain silent.
The Maine Medical Association joined our state clinical partners, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Medical Association in strongly opposing these changes. This is not a political statement but rather is a medical one, grounded in science and driven by our commitment to children’s health.
The timing of this news could not be worse. Maine is experiencing a severe flu season. Last year saw record pediatric flu deaths, and Massachusetts has already seen four pediatric flu deaths this season. Whooping cough and measles are resurging as vaccination rates decline.
Now, federal officials have moved influenza, COVID-19, hepatitis A and B, rotavirus, and meningococcal vaccines out of universal recommendations.
The rationale for aligning with Denmark’s immunization schedule ignores a fundamental truth: the United States is not Denmark. Our population is larger and more diverse. Our disease patterns differ. Our public health infrastructure faces unique challenges, especially for those who are underinsured or lack access to basic primary care. Denmark’s schedule was developed for Denmark’s circumstances, just as ours was crafted for America’s needs.
In America, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices operates through transparent public meetings where evidence is debated, stakeholders testify, and recommendations are developed through rigorous scientific consensus. For decades, teams of pediatricians, infectious disease specialists, epidemiologists, and public health experts have meticulously studied disease patterns, vaccine safety data, and health outcomes to develop our vaccine schedule.
That process was bypassed here. Instead, a brief international comparison led to sweeping changes that will create confusion in exam rooms across Maine and beyond.
As Maine physicians, we see vaccine-preventable diseases firsthand. We’ve cared for infants hospitalized with rotavirus. We’ve watched teenagers struggle with meningococcal disease. We’ve treated babies too young to be vaccinated who caught influenza from older siblings. And we have grieved with parents who lost a child to now preventable diseases. These aren’t statistics — they’re our patients, our neighbors’ children.
Thanks to widespread childhood immunization, we have fewer pediatric hospitalizations. Vaccines represent one of the greatest public health achievements, saving millions of lives.
The federal decision to reclassify some vaccines as requiring “shared clinical decision-making” dangerously suggests some vaccines are less important than others. Every vaccine on the schedule protects against serious, potentially life-threatening diseases.
Parents may understandably feel confused by conflicting messages. Our advice is simple: trust your pediatrician. Your child’s doctor or other clinician has the medical training, specialized knowledge, and scientific evidence to guide immunization decisions. They know your child’s individual health circumstances and can provide personalized recommendations.
The Maine Medical Association, working closely with the Maine CDC, will continue supporting Maine’s evidence-based immunization requirements for school attendance. These requirements remain unchanged by federal action. Maine physicians will continue following the American Academy of Pediatrics’ immunization guidance, recommendations grounded in rigorous science and developed specifically for American children’s health needs.
Insurance coverage for all previously recommended vaccines will continue through at least 2026 for private plans, and families can access vaccines through Maine’s Immunization Program, Vaccines for Children, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. No child should go without needed immunizations due to cost.
To my fellow physicians: I know these changes create practice challenges. You will face more questions, more uncertainty, and more time explaining conflicting federal guidance. But our role has never been more important. We must remain steadfast in our commitment to evidence-based care and clear communication with the families who trust us.
To Maine’s parents and guardians: We understand vaccination decisions can feel overwhelming when messages from different sources conflict. The science supporting childhood immunizations is robust, transparent, and continuously evaluated. The vaccines we recommend are safe, effective, and necessary to protect your child and our community.
This moment demands we put children’s health above politics, science above ideology, and evidence above expedience. The Maine medical community stands ready to provide the clear, trustworthy guidance Maine’s families deserve.
Our commitment remains unchanged: We will continue to follow the science, advocate for our patients, and ensure every Maine child has access to the immunizations that protect against preventable diseases. That is our professional obligation, our ethical duty, and our promise to the families we serve.