Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has argued that the United States should “look to Europe” on vaccines, suggesting that Americans could do with fewer shots. It’s an idea that can sound appealing if you’re worried about “too many vaccines,” but the real story in Europe is far more complex—and, in many cases, more pro‑vaccine than the U.S.


In this article, we’ll unpack what Kennedy is referencing, how European vaccine policies actually work, where they succeed or fall short, and what it all means for your family’s health. We’ll also look at why a former senior CDC official said, in response, that if Kennedy wants to copy Europe, he should start with universal health care before cutting back vaccines.


Public debate over vaccines has intensified as political figures, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., call for the U.S. to reconsider its vaccine schedule in light of European policies.

What RFK Jr. Is Claiming—and Why It Resonates

Kennedy often claims that:

  • European countries recommend fewer vaccines or space them out more.
  • Europe achieves similar or better health outcomes with fewer shots.
  • The U.S. schedule is influenced by pharmaceutical interests more than science.

These claims tap into very real worries many parents and adults have:

  • Feeling overwhelmed by the number of vaccines recommended for children.
  • Concerns about side effects, long‑term safety, or “overloading” the immune system.
  • Distrust of large institutions after COVID‑19, economic turmoil, and political polarization.

“If [Kennedy] would like to get us universal health care, then maybe we can have a conversation about having the schedule adjusted.”
— Demetre Daskalakis, former senior CDC official, quoted by Politico

Daskalakis’s point is critical: the European vaccine “model” sits inside a very different health‑care system. You cannot just copy the vaccine schedule without copying the infrastructure that makes it work—especially universal coverage and strong public health services.


How Europe Actually Handles Vaccines

Europe is not one system. Each country sets its own vaccination policies, though many follow guidance from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Still, some clear patterns emerge.


1. Many European countries vaccinate as much—or more—than the U.S.

According to ECDC and WHO immunization schedules (updated through 2024–2025), most Western and Northern European countries:

  • Use the same core vaccines as the U.S. for children (measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib, Hep B, pneumococcal, etc.).
  • Offer HPV vaccination widely, often in school‑based programs that reach more teens than in the U.S.
  • Have strong adult vaccination programs for flu, COVID‑19, and increasingly for pneumococcal and shingles.

2. Dosing and timing can differ—but not the basic idea

Differences often involve:

  • Combination vaccines: Some European systems bundle more vaccines into a single shot (e.g., 6‑in‑1 vaccines), reducing the number of injections but not the number of diseases covered.
  • Timing: A country might give certain doses at 3, 5, and 11 months instead of 2, 4, and 6 months—but the child still gets a full course.
  • Booster strategies: Some countries emphasize adolescent and adult boosters more regularly than the U.S.


3. High vaccination coverage is a core European goal

The European Vaccine Action Plan and subsequent ECDC strategies consistently aim for:

  • ≥95% coverage for childhood vaccines against measles, polio, and other highly contagious diseases.
  • Strong efforts to catch up missed doses and reach marginalized communities.
  • Monitoring of outbreaks and vaccination gaps through centralized national registries.

When coverage drops—often due to misinformation or political backlash—several European countries have seen measles outbreaks, hospitalizations, and avoidable deaths. That experience has actually pushed some of them to tighten vaccine rules, not loosen them.


When Europe Contains Disease Well—and When It Doesn’t

Politico’s reporting highlights a key nuance: in some situations, European countries have better contained diseases than the U.S., while in others they have allowed more spread—sometimes to save money in the short term, or because of political constraints.


Where Europe Often Performs Well

  • Centralized systems: Many countries have national vaccine registries, coordinated campaigns, and consistent messaging.
  • School‑based programs: HPV and other vaccines are commonly offered in schools, leading to higher teen uptake than in many U.S. states.
  • Universal access: Vaccines are fully covered under national health systems, reducing cost and access barriers.

Healthcare professional preparing a vaccine syringe in a clinic
Many European countries rely on universal health systems and national immunization programs to keep vaccine coverage high and disease rates low.

Where Europe Has Struggled

  • Measles: Countries like Romania, Italy, and France have experienced significant outbreaks in the last decade when coverage dipped below WHO targets.
  • COVID‑19 policy: Some governments hesitated on certain measures or boosters, leading to higher spread, especially among older adults.
  • Cost vs. coverage: In a few instances, decisions to delay or limit certain vaccines (such as newer, more expensive products) have been criticized for under‑protecting vulnerable groups.


Why Universal Health Care Matters in This Debate

Daskalakis’s comment to Politico wasn’t just a political jab. It captures a core public‑health truth: vaccine schedules don’t exist in a vacuum. They’re designed around:

  • How easily people can see a clinician.
  • Whether visits are free at point of care.
  • How well survivors of severe illness are supported.

In Europe, universal systems change the equation

In most European countries:

  1. People can access primary care without worrying about large bills or network restrictions.
  2. Vaccines are generally free and actively offered, not just “available if you can find a clinic.”
  3. Public‑health agencies can follow up with under‑vaccinated communities more consistently.

That makes it easier, if desired, to:

  • Catch up missed doses promptly.
  • Identify gaps quickly during outbreaks.
  • Adjust schedules without losing people entirely to the system.

In the U.S., millions of people face insurance gaps, transportation barriers, or clinic shortages. Under‑vaccination can mean:

  • Higher risk of outbreaks in low‑income or rural areas.
  • People delaying care until they’re seriously ill.
  • Hospitals bearing massive uncompensated care costs.

Adjusting the U.S. vaccine schedule to be “more like Europe” without fixing access and coverage could widen these gaps, not close them.


Are Americans Getting “Too Many Vaccines”? What the Evidence Says

Concerns about “too many, too soon” are very common. It’s worth treating them seriously and looking at what large, independent studies have actually found.


Immune system “overload” vs. modern vaccine design

Decades of research—including from the U.S. CDC, ECDC, WHO, and independent academic groups—show:

  • Today’s vaccines contain far fewer antigens (the components that trigger immune responses) than vaccines a generation ago, even though they protect against more diseases.
  • Babies encounter thousands of antigens daily through ordinary life—dust, food, mild infections—far more than they get from vaccines.
  • Receiving multiple vaccines at one visit has repeatedly been shown to be safe in large observational studies and clinical trials.

Autism, chronic illness, and other fears

Large population‑based studies across the U.S., Denmark, Sweden, and other European countries (often using national registries) have found:

  • No association between recommended vaccines and autism.
  • No reliable evidence linking vaccines to long‑term neurologic decline or widespread chronic disease.
  • Some rare serious side effects, such as anaphylaxis or specific autoimmune conditions, but at rates far lower than the risks from the diseases they prevent.

“The risk of severe harm from vaccine‑preventable diseases is dramatically higher than the risk of severe adverse events from the vaccines themselves, in both U.S. and European data.”
— Summary of findings from multiple WHO and ECDC safety reviews

Parent holding a child's hand in a clinic waiting room
Many parents feel torn between wanting to protect their children from disease and fears about vaccine safety. Good policy acknowledges both the data and the emotions involved.

What Happens When Countries Choose “Fewer Vaccines”?

Politico’s coverage points out that in some cases, European governments have allowed more disease spread—sometimes as a way to reduce immediate costs or because of political hesitation.


Real‑world consequences seen in Europe

  • Measles resurgences: When coverage drops below 95%, measles quickly returns, leading to outbreaks in France, Italy, Romania, and other countries.
  • Higher hospitalization costs: Treating severe infections often costs far more than preventing them via vaccines.
  • Long‑term health impacts: Some infections (like measles, HPV, hepatitis B) can cause long‑term harm—immune suppression, cancer, or liver disease—that isn’t always obvious in short‑term budget decisions.


Why this matters in the U.S.

The U.S. already struggles with:

  • Uneven vaccination rates by region, income, and race.
  • Pockets of low coverage that are vulnerable to outbreaks.
  • Politicized mistrust around public‑health recommendations.

In that environment, cutting or weakening the vaccine schedule without strengthening access, communication, and trust is likely to expand existing inequities—not solve them.


A Clinician’s Perspective: A Case of “Spacing Out” Shots

Consider a composite case based on multiple real‑life stories shared by pediatricians in both the U.S. and Europe:


A parent, worried by online discussions about RFK Jr. and “too many vaccines,” asks to spread out their toddler’s shots. The pediatrician agrees to an alternate schedule, knowing that:

  • The child will be under‑protected for months longer.
  • Missed appointments are common, especially when families are juggling work and childcare.
  • In a community with low measles vaccination, any delay increases the risk of serious illness.

For several visits, everything goes smoothly. Then the family moves across town, changes insurance, and misses a check‑up. The child is still missing a key dose when a measles case appears at their daycare. Suddenly, a theoretical risk becomes very real.


This kind of scenario is exactly why many public‑health experts support sticking closely to established schedules: not because families are careless, but because life is complicated. Schedules are designed with that reality in mind.

Doctor talking empathetically with a parent about child vaccination
Many clinicians work with parents to address fears and questions, aiming to protect children while respecting families’ concerns and values.

Practical Steps: How to Navigate Vaccine Decisions Thoughtfully

Whether you’re skeptical, cautious, or generally supportive of vaccines, you deserve clear, honest information and space to ask questions. Here are evidence‑based steps to take.


1. Start with your personal risk and goals

  • Do you or your child have chronic conditions (like asthma, diabetes, immunodeficiency)? Your risk from infection may be higher.
  • Do you live in or travel to areas with lower vaccination coverage or ongoing outbreaks?
  • Are you caring for infants, older adults, or people with weakened immune systems?

2. Ask your clinician specific, not general, questions

Instead of “Are vaccines safe?”, try:

  • “What are the most common side effects of this specific vaccine?”
  • “What serious side effects have been documented, and how rare are they?”
  • “What happens if we delay or skip this dose?”

3. Compare credible sources—U.S. and European

Helpful starting points include:


4. Watch out for common red flags

  • Sources that promise “no risk” or “100% safe” anything—real medicine always has trade‑offs.
  • Claims that all major public‑health agencies are conspiring without presenting high‑quality evidence.
  • Anecdotes dressed up as proof, without being backed by well‑designed studies.


What a Balanced U.S. Approach Could Look Like

If we take the best lessons from Europe—without cherry‑picking statistics or glossing over trade‑offs—a more balanced U.S. strategy might include:

  1. Strengthening access: Making vaccines universally available at no cost, in schools, workplaces, pharmacies, and community clinics.
  2. Improving transparency: Publishing clear, accessible summaries of how safety decisions are made, and what happens when rare adverse events occur.
  3. Investing in surveillance: Using modern data systems (like many European national registries) to track coverage and safety in real time.
  4. Supporting choice within safe bounds: Allowing limited schedule flexibility in low‑risk situations, while being honest about increased risks from delay.
  5. Pairing vaccines with social policy: Recognizing that health outcomes depend on housing, work conditions, paid sick leave, and broader access to care—not just shots alone.

Diverse group of people standing together symbolizing public health and community
A healthier vaccine policy isn’t just about doses and schedules—it’s about trust, access, and shared responsibility across the whole community.

Moving Beyond Slogans: What This Means for You

The idea of “doing vaccines like Europe” sounds simple. The reality is not. Many European countries vaccinate just as much as, or more than, the U.S.—and when they pull back or coverage slips, they often pay a heavy price in preventable illness.


If you feel uncertain, you’re not alone. The pace of information, the politicization of health, and conflicting messages can make anyone question what’s right. It’s reasonable to ask whether we’re getting vaccine policy right—and to demand better access, better data, and better honesty from our institutions.


What the evidence from both sides of the Atlantic consistently shows, though, is this:

  • Vaccines remain one of the most effective tools we have to prevent severe disease and death.
  • When coverage falls, outbreaks rise—regardless of whether you’re in Paris, Rome, or Philadelphia.
  • Strong health systems and transparent communication make vaccine schedules safer and more sustainable.

Your next step doesn’t have to be dramatic. It might simply be:

  • Booking a conversation with your clinician to go over your or your child’s vaccine history.
  • Reading a full CDC or ECDC vaccine‑safety summary, start to finish.
  • Updating a single overdue shot and noticing how that feels.

Policy debates will continue, and they should. But in the middle of all the noise, you still have the power to make thoughtful, informed decisions that protect you and the people you care about—today, not just in theory.