The Infodemiology Brief —

AAP releases vaccine schedule as federal guidance draws criticism

Online posts resurface old myths about vaccine effectiveness and safety.

Over the last month, conflicting vaccination guidance from federal health agencies and medical organizations fueled public confusion and distrust. The American Academy of Pediatrics released its annual childhood immunization schedule, reaffirming routine vaccination for children and adolescents. The guidance differs in key ways from recent federal messaging, prompting some online to question which recommendations to follow. At the same time, a lawsuit filed in Texas alleging that physicians are “bribed” to vaccinate patients reignited a long-standing myth about financial incentives and vaccine decision-making. And with measles cases rising in multiple states, online conversations have resurfaced false claims about “natural immunity” being safer or more effective than vaccination.

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Trending narratives from the past month

Health experts back AAP’s vaccine schedule that conflicts with federal guidance
On January 26, the American Academy of Pediatrics released its 2026 recommended childhood vaccine schedule. The updated schedule remains largely unchanged from last year and continues to reflect longstanding evidence on vaccine safety and effectiveness. However, because the CDC recently removed six vaccines from its schedule, the AAP’s schedule now diverges from current CDC recommendations. Days before the AAP announcement, the chair of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee expressed support for making all vaccines optional, contradicting decades of federal policy. The comment drew swift criticism from health experts, who reaffirmed support for the AAP’s evidence-based recommendations. Social media conversations reflected widespread distrust of federal health agencies, health care providers, and medical organizations. Vaccine supporters emphasized that childhood vaccines remain safe and essential to preventing dangerous diseases, pointing to ongoing measles outbreaks in the U.S. as evidence that declining vaccination rates endanger communities. Meanwhile, vaccine opponents argued that parents should be able to refuse any vaccine and that schools should not require certain vaccines for enrollment. Online conversations reflect a growing push to weaken or eliminate state-level school vaccine requirements. Read the fact checks here and here.

Claim that doctors are “bribed” to vaccinate children resurfaces amid Texas lawsuit
On January 21, Texas launched an investigation into alleged financial incentives for doctors who administer vaccines, claiming without evidence that “doctors’ wages, bonuses, and even employment often hinge on the number of vaccinations they administer.” The move quickly reignited the false claim that doctors are “bribed” to vaccinate patients. Online, vaccine opponents alleged that the federal government, health insurers, and pharmaceutical companies pay health care providers thousands of dollars for every child they vaccinate. Posts portraying pediatricians as financially motivated spread widely,  with some advising parents to seek out doctors who don’t “push” vaccines. Read the fact checks here and here.

Old anti-vaccine myths circulate online as US measles outbreaks expand
As measles outbreaks spread to additional states in January and February, some online attempted to downplay the importance of the MMR vaccine. On February 4, the Pan American Health Organization issued an alert highlighting ongoing measles outbreaks across the Americas, noting that the U.S. reported nearly 600 measles cases in January alone. Many social media users attributed the rise in cases to declining vaccination rates and the growing influence of anti-vaccine narratives. Vaccine opponents, however, falsely claimed that measles is not a severe disease and that immunity through vaccination is “artificial” and inferior to natural immunity through infection. Additionally, reports of measles cases in a Texas immigration detention center reignited misleading claims that immigrant communities are responsible for disease outbreaks. Read the fact checks here and here.

What you might say in response

Following the AAP’s evidence-based vaccine schedule is the best way to protect your child.

  • The AAP’s 2026 childhood immunization schedule is endorsed by more than a dozen major medical organizations and backed by science.
  • The CDC’s revised schedule is not mandatory. Parents may choose to follow an evidence-based schedule. Vaccines on the AAP’s schedule continue to be covered by most insurance plans.
  • The science has not changed: Decades of evidence show that vaccines are the only safe way to protect children and communities from diseases such as polio, measles, and whooping cough.
  • Your child’s doctor is the best source for information about vaccines. You can also find reliable, science-based information about vaccines from trusted medical sources like the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education Center and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Doctors recommend vaccines because they know the real risks of the diseases they prevent. Keep your child safe by getting them vaccinated.

  • Vaccines work with a child’s immune system to safely build protection against serious and potentially deadly diseases. They prepare the body to fight infections like measles, polio, and whooping cough—without the child having to suffer through the illness itself.
  • Doctors, health insurers, and health experts all recognize that high vaccination rates protect individual children and reduce the risk of outbreaks in schools and communities. 
  • Doctors do not receive payments from pharmaceutical companies to provide vaccines. Some health insurers offer quality-based incentive programs that reward physicians for promoting preventive care—such as vaccination, healthy eating, and staying up to date on routine screenings—because prevention improves health outcomes and lowers long-term health care costs.

Measles is a severe, potentially deadly disease that can damage your child’s immune system. Vaccination is the only safe way to prevent measles.

  • Measles is not a mild childhood illness. It can cause high fever, pneumonia, brain swelling (encephalitis), and even death.
  • Measles also has the unique ability to damage a child’s immune system for months or even years after infection. This immune “amnesia” leaves children more vulnerable to other serious infections long after the rash fades.
  • Vaccination is the only safe way to prevent measles. Allowing a child to catch measles to gain immunity puts them at risk of severe complications, including pneumonia, brain damage, and death. 
  • The MMR vaccine is safe, provides lifelong immunity, and has protected children for decades.

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