Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a multistate lawsuit challenging changes made by the Trump administration to the federal childhood immunization schedule.
The lawsuit names U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Acting CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya as defendants. The complaint challenges a January 5, 2026 CDC decision that removed universal recommendations for seven childhood vaccines, including those for hepatitis A and B, influenza, COVID-19, RSV, rotavirus, and meningococcal disease. It also contests changes to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the federal panel that has long guided national vaccine policy.
According to the lawsuit, the revised immunization schedule and the restructuring of the advisory committee were not supported by new scientific evidence or a properly constituted review process. The states argue that the changes could lead to lower vaccination rates, increased disease outbreaks, and added financial strain on state public health systems and programs such as Medicaid. Maryland officials said the state has already devoted additional resources to public education and outreach in response to the federal changes. The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare the revised schedule and advisory committee appointments unlawful and to block their implementation. Attorneys general from multiple states, along with the Governor of Pennsylvania, joined Maryland in filing the lawsuit.
