by BINJE Staff, January 6, 2026
The HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ), the leading voice for the state’s world-class life sciences sector, issued a strong defense of immunization science on Monday following a landmark announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce the number of recommended childhood vaccines.
The CDC’s overhaul, which takes effect immediately, narrows the federal recommendation from 17 target diseases down to 11. Key changes include moving vaccines for influenza, COVID-19, rotavirus, and hepatitis A and B into a “shared clinical decision-making” category, meaning they are no longer universally recommended for all children but remain available for high-risk groups or upon parental request.
In a statement released, Chrissy Buteas, president and CEO of HINJ, emphasized that vaccines remain a “critical pillar” of global stability and public health. Read the full statement here.