A US District Court in Massachusetts ruled on March 16, 2026, blocking changes to US vaccine policies made by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. since February 2025, including revisions to the childhood immunization schedule and ACIP decisions.234
The ruling reverses HHS's January 2026 memo reducing recommended childhood vaccines from 17 to 11 diseases, overturns the May 2025 removal of COVID-19 vaccines for certain groups, and prevents ACIP from meeting until its membership is reviewed.234
Medical groups like AMA, AAP, and IDSA praised the decision for restoring science-based policies but warned of appeals and ongoing damage to vaccine confidence.123
The administration plans to appeal, with experts noting the battle continues and some states are diverging from CDC recommendations.4
Sources:
1. https://changeflow.com/govping/healthcare/court-blocks-hhs-vaccine-policy-changes-ama-praises-ruling-2026-03-17
2. https://cen.acs.org/pharmaceuticals/vaccines/Relief-unease-court-overturns-RFK/104/web/2026/03
3. https://www.apha.org/news-and-media/news-releases/apha-news-releases/federal-judge-blocks-immunization-schedule-changes
4. https://www.kff.org/quick-take/the-courts-opening-shot-on-federal-vaccine-policy-changes/