Merck has released a statement affirming its core belief in ensuring every child grows up healthy and safe, following significant revisions to the U.S. Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The pharmaceutical giant emphasized the critical role of science-based immunization policy, continuous safety monitoring, and real-life evidence in protecting communities, highlighting the historical success of childhood vaccination in eradicating diseases like measles and polio. The recent changes to the U.S. schedule have been met with controversy. The CDC has scaled back universal recommendations for several vaccines, including those for influenza, hepatitis A, rotavirus, and meningococcal disease, moving them instead to categories based on shared clinical decision-making or specific high-risk groups. Additionally, the recommendation for Merck's HPV vaccine, Gardasil, has been reduced from a two-dose series to a single dose. These shifts were reportedly influenced by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s long-term goals to overhaul the nation's pediatric vaccine schedule. Merck's statement underscores that any changes to the immunization schedule must be informed by comprehensive data and guided by experts in vaccinology, pediatrics, infectious diseases, and epidemiology. They also advocate for evaluating international comparisons with proper context, acknowledging differences in disease burden and healthcare infrastructure. Public health experts and the pharmaceutical industry have widely criticized these changes, expressing concerns about potential confusion for families and pediatricians, and the risk of preventable hospitalizations and deaths. For Merck, the shift to a single HPV vaccine dose is projected to result in a significant revenue loss.