WMA Resolution on Childhood Vaccination Schedules
Adopted by the 232nd WMA Council session, Belgrade, Serbia, April 2026
and adopted as a WMA Resolution, as amended, by the 77th WMA General Assembly, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, October 2026
PREAMBLE
The World Medical Association is concerned by changes to childhood vaccination schedules that are not evidence-based.
Although we recognise each country’s independence in health matters, history has shown us time and again how decisions on epidemiological matters can affect the entire world, and even more so in today’s globalised context.
Changes to childhood vaccination schedules that are not evidence-based can lead to the resurgence of diseases previously on the verge of extinction, compromising global health and threatening the future of the children worldwide. An outbreak of measles or meningitis endangers the most vulnerable populations and can spread to other nearby countries, especially those with very limited response capacity.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Recalling its Statement on the Priority of Immunisation, the WMA warns against changes to childhood vaccination schedules that are not evidence-based. The WMA also calls for rapid and timely evidence for vaccinations in the case of emerging infections and variants. The WMA emphasises its commitment to universal vaccination and its importance as a cornerstone of progress in a globalised world.
- Recalling the Declaration of Helsinki, the WMA calls upon all individuals, teams, and organizations involved in medical research on vaccination efficacy and schedules to uphold its ethical guidance, including its guidance on vulnerability. Children can be in a situation of more vulnerability as research participants. Vaccination research with children in situations of particular vulnerability is only justified if it is responsive to their health needs and priorities.