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Trump’s Presidency Could Mean the End of Free Vaccines

Most vaccines are free as long as the CDC recommends them. With Trump soon taking office, experts are bracing themselves for possible actions that would drastically limit their accessibility.

COVID-19 vaccine
David Goldman/AP

The incoming Trump administration has health experts worried about reductions to vaccine access and affordability.

Their concerns stem partly from longtime anti-vaccine advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s potential involvement in health agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts’ fears have also been prompted by recommendations in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 agenda, which include a large-scale reorganization of the CDC that would drastically limit its power to make public health recommendations.

Experts say any change in vaccine access could have severe consequences on a number of public health fronts.