Jan 6, 2026
About this episode:
Citing a memorandum from President Trump, health officials in the Trump Administration are ending routine recommendations for vaccinating against meningitis, hepatitis A and B, and rotavirus. Vaccine expert Ruth Karron explains why each of these vaccines is critical for safeguarding health, reducing hospitalizations, and preventing deaths. She and Dr. Josh Sharfstein recorded this episode before the recent vaccine announcement. They also discuss chickenpox and RSV, where recommendations remain in place.
*Please note that this episode was recorded prior to the announcement from HHS changing recommended vaccines for children.
Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.
Guests:
Dr. Ruth Karron is a pediatrician and a professor of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is the director of Johns Hopkins Vaccine Initiative.
Host:
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content:
- HHS Changes Its Pediatric Vaccine Recommendations: What's Different, What Remains, and What It Means for American Health—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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CDC Acts on Presidential Memorandum to Update Childhood Immunization Schedule—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Hepatitis B Vaccination is an Essential Safety Net for Newborns—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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Two New RSV Products to Protect Infants—Public Health On Call (November 2023)
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Vaccines 101—Public Health On Call (2025)
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