CDC recommendation changes may increase vaccine hesitancy in Canada

Doctors warn the U.S. CDC's updated childhood vaccine schedule could increase confusion and vaccine hesitancy in Canada; Canadian officials say their immunization schedule remains based on current scientific evidence.

Doctors in Canada are warning that recent changes to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's childhood vaccine schedule could increase vaccine hesitancy across the border. The CDC announced an updated routine schedule that reduces the number of shots recommended for all children and shifts several long-standing vaccines — including rotavirus, meningococcal disease, flu and RSV — to recommendations for certain high‑risk groups or to shared clinical decision‑making. Ontario Medical Association President Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman and immunologist Dawn Bowdish expressed concern that differences between U.S. and Canadian guidance will create confusion for parents and may encourage misinformation. Canadian health authorities say Canada's vaccine schedule remains grounded in current scientific evidence and will not change unless new evidence warrants it. Key points: - The CDC updated its routine childhood vaccine schedule and reduced the number of vaccines recommended for all children; some vaccines were moved to recommendations for high‑risk groups or for shared clinical decision‑making. - Canadian doctors warned that visible differences between U.S. and Canadian recommendations could increase confusion among parents and may contribute to the spread of misinformation. - Canadian officials stated that the national immunization schedule remains based on current science and will stay the same unless evidence changes. - An immunologist said doubt originating in the U.S. can spread to Canada and that she no longer regards information from the U.S. agency as reliably authoritative. Summary: Canadian doctors said the CDC's changes may raise confusion and vaccine hesitancy in Canada, while Canadian authorities maintain the national schedule is evidence‑based. Undetermined at this time.