The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) released its own maternal immunization schedule diverging from CDC recommendations under Health Secretary RFK Jr., recommending COVID-19 and flu vaccines that the CDC dropped amid anti-vaccine policy changes.
<p>For the first time, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) has released its <a href="https://www.acog.org/clinical-information/maternal-immunization-schedule">own recommendations for maternal vaccination</a>, providing formal guidance that diverges from that of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention amid unprecedented policy changes and meddling from anti-vaccine Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</p>
<p>ACOG President Camille Clare blamed "changing national recommendations coupled with rampant vaccine misinformation" for the confusion among patients and health care professionals about vaccines during pregnancy.</p>
<p>"It is incredibly important for the public to have access to reliable, evidence-based information on maternal immunizations from a trusted source. ACOG is proud to be that source," <a href="https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2026/06/acog-releases-2026-maternal-immunization-schedule">Clare said in a statement</a>.</p><p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/06/bucking-rfk-jr-ob-gyns-release-vaccine-guidance-that-conflicts-with-cdc/">Read full article</a></p>
<p><a href="https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/06/bucking-rfk-jr-ob-gyns-release-vaccine-guidance-that-conflicts-with-cdc/#comments">Comments</a></p>
# OB-GYNs release their own vaccine schedule, rejecting RFK Jr.'s meddling
Source: [https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/06/bucking-rfk-jr-ob-gyns-release-vaccine-guidance-that-conflicts-with-cdc/](https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/06/bucking-rfk-jr-ob-gyns-release-vaccine-guidance-that-conflicts-with-cdc/)
For the first time, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists \(ACOG\) has released its[own recommendations for maternal vaccination](https://www.acog.org/clinical-information/maternal-immunization-schedule), providing formal guidance that diverges from that of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention amid unprecedented policy changes and meddling from anti\-vaccine Health Secretary Robert F\. Kennedy Jr\.
ACOG President Camille Clare blamed “changing national recommendations coupled with rampant vaccine misinformation” for the confusion among patients and health care professionals about vaccines during pregnancy\.
“It is incredibly important for the public to have access to reliable, evidence\-based information on maternal immunizations from a trusted source\. ACOG is proud to be that source,”[Clare said in a statement](https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2026/06/acog-releases-2026-maternal-immunization-schedule)\.
ACOG’s 2026 Maternal Immunization Schedulediffers most significantly from the[CDC’s current schedule](https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-schedules/adult-medical-condition.html)by including recommendations for COVID\-19 and seasonal influenza vaccines\. Those vaccines have been dropped from the CDC’s recommendations under Kennedy, in conflict with scientific evidence and amid strong opposition from medical organizations\.
Currently, the CDC recommends only two immunizations during pregnancy: Tdap \(against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis\) and RSV \(against respiratory syncytial virus\)\. ACOG’s new guidance recommends influenza, COVID\-19, RSV, and Tdap vaccines\. It also provides clear recommendations for additional vaccines for certain populations, as well as vaccinations recommended during postpartum and while breastfeeding\.
## Medical organizations revolt
“Immunizations are an essential part of prepregnancy, prenatal, and postpartum care,” said ACOG Chief of Clinical Practice Christopher Zahn in a statement\. “As OB\-GYNs, we have the power to combat vaccine misinformation on our own platforms, help our patients make educated decisions, and increase confidence in vaccination overall\.”
The controversial vaccine research of Peter Aaby and Christine Stabell Benn, suggesting non-specific effects of vaccines, has gained attention under RFK Jr.'s HHS leadership, leading to cuts in Gavi funding. The article examines the history and implications of their findings.
FDA advisors voted unanimously to approve Moderna's seasonal mRNA flu vaccine, mRNA-1010, after initial rejection by a Trump appointee. The vaccine showed 27% better efficacy than standard flu shot and stronger immune response than high-dose vaccine in older adults.
Doctors criticize President Trump's executive order to align US childhood vaccine recommendations with Denmark's schedule, citing lack of credible scientific evidence and concerns over removing several key vaccines.
Routine vaccines like those for flu, shingles, and Tdap are linked to lower dementia risk, with a new hypothesis suggesting they may train the innate immune system, previously thought untrainable, offering potential new avenues for dementia prevention.
A study of over 1 million VA patients found that the updated 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine still provides significant protection against cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke, especially in people over 75 and those with underlying conditions.