RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Schedule Faces Legal Challenge from 15 States

A coalition of 15 states, led by California and Arizona, has filed a lawsuit challenging the revised childhood vaccination schedule implemented by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The states allege that the changes, which reduced the number of recommended vaccines for children, were unlawful and pose a threat to public health.

Legal Challenge Details

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, names the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Secretary Kennedy Jr. As defendants. The states argue that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), under Kennedy Jr.’s direction, bypassed federal law and ignored scientific evidence when it stripped seven childhood vaccines – those protecting against rotavirus, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – of their universally recommended status.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes are co-leading the lawsuit. They are seeking a court order to overturn the changes to the immunization schedule and to invalidate the appointments made by Kennedy Jr. To the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the expert panel that traditionally guides U.S. Vaccine policy.

Concerns Over Public Health and Costs

The states contend that undermining confidence in vaccines will lead to lower vaccination rates and increased instances of infectious diseases. They also warn that this will result in higher healthcare costs for states, including increased Medicaid spending and expenses related to combating misinformation and revising public health guidance.

Attorney General Mayes stated that Kennedy Jr. And the Trump administration “fired qualified experts, replaced them with unqualified ideologues, and then concocted a dangerous new vaccine schedule that will put Arizona’s children—and children across the country—at risk of contracting diseases that are preventable.”

HHS Response

The Department of Health and Human Services has defended the revised schedule, asserting that it protects children from serious diseases and aligns with international standards. A spokesperson stated that the agency “will work with states and clinicians to ensure families have clear, accurate information to craft their own informed decisions.”

Background on Changes

Over the past year, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Reshaped the ACIP to include vaccine skeptics and subsequently oversaw changes to the national immunization schedule. The CDC signed off on a memo in January 2026 reducing the number of immunizations in the recommended childhood vaccine schedule.

The Pima County Health Department continues to recommend the previous childhood vaccination schedule endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.