The United States vaccine schedule has changed dramatically over the years. Every few years, new vaccines are added, formulas are changed, frequency of dose and age are revised, and vaccines are continually being combined into mega doses, (e.g. the new Vaxelis, will combine 6 vaccines in ONE shot). From 1962 to 2020, we have increased vaccinations from 5 to 13, and doses from 5 to 49.

In order to break down recommended vaccines and doses into its simplest form, we will redefine the terms. The term vaccine is equivalent to one disease. E.g. although DTP is typically classified as “one vaccine”, it is really three vaccines combined into “one shot”. The term “dose” is equivalent to the number of times each vaccine is given; e.g., if the DTP vaccine is recommended only once, there are 3 vaccines (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) and three doses (D (1), T (1) P (1). Shots will vary based on the year and combined vaccines.

Vaccination Changes Over the Decades

Let’s see how the CDC recommendations have changed…if a child followed CDC’s recommended schedule through the age of five, how many vaccinations would they receive? How many doses would they receive? And how many shots would they be given?

1962, 5 vaccinations, resulting in 5 doses, and 3 shots.

Polio-OPV
Small pox
DTP
(one dose for each vaccine).
Doses: ( 5 x 1= 5 doses/shots)

1983, 7 vaccines, resulting in 22 doses, and 10 shots.

Polio-OPV (2, 4,18, 48 mo)
DTP (2, 4, 6, 18, 48 mo)
MMR (15 mo)
Doses: Polio(1*4) + DTP(3*5) + MMR(3*1) = 22 doses/shots

2020, 14 vaccines, resulting in 49 doses. The amount of shots given is completely variable based on the number of combined shots received. See link for more info on types of shots.

Influenza* (pregnancy)
Dtap (pregnancy)
Hep B (birth, 2, 4, 6 mo)
Hib (2, 4, 6, 12-15 mo)
Rotovirus (2, 4, 6 mo)
PCV13 (2, 4, 6, 12 mo)
Polio-IPV (2, 4, 6 mo)
DTaP (2, 4, 6, 15 mo, 4-yrs)
Hep A (12, 18 mo)
MMR (12 mo, 4 yrs)
Varcilla/chickenpox (12 mo, 4 yrs)
Infuenza/flu shot (each winter)
Doses: Influenza (1x 6)+ DTaP (3*5)+Hep B (1*4)+ hib (1*4)+ polio-IPV (1*3)+ rotovirus (1*3)+ PCV13 (1*4) + Hep A (1*2) + MMR (3*2) + chickpox (1*2)= 49

*Influenza could be classified as a different vaccine each year because it is a different formula each year. But to simplify things, we’ve kept it defined as one vaccine over the 5 year period.

Click here to see the current CDC schedule.

“When someone asks if your child is “fully vaccinated” perhaps the right reply is, “Based on which decade?” J.B. Handley

– or, which country?

Vaccinations in the United States compared to European Counties

A fully vaccinated child in the US differs vastly from a fully vaccinated European Child.

Many European countries do not give Hep A, Influenza, chickenpox, or the rotavirus.

Even the United Kingdom does not give the chickenpox vaccine because not only is it a mild childhood illness, there is growing data that giving the Chickenpox vaccine could increase shingles in adults, a most severe illness.

Japan no longer gives the MMR and only gives the MR, stopped giving DTP a decade before the US switched over and no longer recommends the HPV vaccine.

There are zero safety studies showing the effects of increasing recommended vaccines and dose.

Studies

Infants that are given super shot vaccines, containing 4-7 vaccines in one shot, were significantly more likely to be hospitalized. Younger infants were also significantly more likely than older infants. – Goldman, GS, Miller NZ. Relative trends in hospitalization and mortality among infants by the number of vaccine doses and age, based on the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 1990-2010. Hum Exp Toxic 2012; 31(10): 1012-21.

Infant monkeys that received CDC pediatric recommended vaccines -when compared to the unvaccinated baby monkeys- were more likely to have altered amygalda growth (associated with social and behavioral behavior). The vaccinated monkeys also had an increase in brain volume, often associated with autism. – Hewitson L, Lopresti BJ, et al. “Influence of pediatric vaccines on amygdala growth and opioid ligand bindings in rhesus macaque infants: a pilot study.” Act Neurobiol Exp 2010; 70: 147-64.

“Routine use of the hepatitis B vaccine in infancy is not supported by either science of common sense.”

– Paul Thomas, M.D. pediatrician