Illinois endorses American Academy of Pediatrics vaccine schedule despite changes to federal guidance

Illinois will formally adopt the child and adolescent immunization schedule created by the American Academy of Pediatrics, marking another break from federal officials who are limiting the number of recommended vaccines for young children.

The recommended vaccines mirrors what the Illinois Department of Public Health was already recommending for immunization. The state's endorsement means that the immunizations will continue to be covered by private insurance companies, Medicaid and a program known as Vaccines for Children, a federally-funded, state-administered program that provides free vaccinations for children, according to the state agency.

The endorsement is meant to provide clarity and consistency for Illinois residents, according to a news release.

Last month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in an unprecedented move dropped the number of recommended vaccines for children to 11, removing immunizations that protect against the flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and some forms of meningitis or RSV. Those vaccines are now generally only recommended for certain groups deemed high risk.

In contrast, the American Academy of Pediatrics’ immunization schedule still includes vaccines to protect against those diseases.

The new endorsement comes after Gov. JB Pritzker announced that Illinois is independently joining the World Health Organization and the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network.

"While Donald Trump and [Robert F. Kennedy Jr.] undermine science, spread dangerous vaccine misinformation, and put countless lives at risk, my administration is forging a different path — one that puts our people first," Pritzker said in a statement.

Since last year, the state has continued to issue its own vaccine guidelines that contradict guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services, which has sought to reduce the number of vaccines under the leadership of Kennedy, a longtime critic of immunizations.

The Illinois Immunization Advisory, which is made of a group of doctors, nurses and public health professionals, advises the Illinois Department of Public Health. The group recommended the state adopt the vaccine schedule created by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

"The IAC strongly endorsed the 2026 AAP child and adolescent vaccine schedule today based on diverse viewpoints of committee members and a process that considered the impact to Illinois overall," said Dr. Marielle Fricchione, the advisory's chair, in the news release. "This included vaccine confidence, school safety, provider practice dynamics and patient relationships, vaccine equity and access as well as impact of increased vaccine-preventable diseases on the hospital system."