Chicago Department of Public Health Statement on HHS Vaccine Update
Last month, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it will recommend fewer vaccinations for American children. HHS leadership made this sudden decision unilaterally, ignoring decades of scientific research and bypassing a long-established process for creating US immunizations schedules that protect the health and wellness of millions.
The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) recently published a statement saying that they do not support these changes and remain committed to evidence-based practices. Read the full statement below.
This week, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it will recommend fewer vaccinations for American children. HHS leadership made this sudden decision unilaterally, ignoring decades of scientific research and bypassing a long-established process for creating US immunizations schedules that protect the health and wellness of millions.
CDPH remains committed to evidence-based practices and cannot support these changes by HHS leadership to the United States Childhood Immunization Schedule. CDPH will continue to collaborate with Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee for data-driven immunization recommendations to keep our children healthy and safe.
“Fewer vaccines mean more vaccine-preventable diseases,” said CDPH Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo Ige, MD, MS, MPH. “It is unethical to play politics with children’s health. CDPH is committed to protecting children and our communities, and evidence-based practices and vaccines are the best way to do that.”
These changes have no bearing on local vaccine recommendations – CDPH continues to endorse the State of Illinois’s recommendations on childhood vaccination schedule, publicly available on the IDPH website: https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/prevention-wellness/immunization.html
