Opinion: Trump says his executive order should restore trust in vaccines. It does the exact opposite

On August 11, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order advocating for a reevaluation of school vaccine mandates and for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to be administered as three separate shots. Medical professionals dismissed the push as scientifically unfounded and potentially detrimental to public health.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who founded an anti-vaccine nonprofit and has long propagated a disproven link between immunization and autism, has been a key proponent of this agenda. While the federal government lacks direct control over aspects covered by the order, states retain the authority to mandate vaccinations for students to enroll in schools.

The order advises states and territories to review the administration's recommendations regarding immunization requirements for situations such as school enrollment and attendance. The US Health and Human Services department will also establish a task force to promote the MMR shot as individual vaccines by collaborating with the private sector and other nations, while ensuring the ongoing availability of combination vaccines and those frequently discussed in clinical decision-making.

New York City's health commissioner, Alister Martin, dismissed the order as politically motivated and rooted in conspiracy theories. Martin emphasized that vaccination recommendations should not be determined by the president and that cities and states should maintain their own guidelines, as many, including New York City, have moved away from federal recommendations due to their perceived politicization and lack of scientific basis.

Despite years of clinical evidence supporting the safety of the combined MMR vaccine, Trump made unsupported statements during the Oval Office signing, asserting that individual vaccines would take more than a decade to develop in the US. Public health experts, including the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, warned that it would take more than a decade to develop approved separated vaccines in the US.

Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician who played a decisive role in confirming Kennedy's appointment as health chief, cautioned that the president's initiative would only exacerbate hesitancy and endanger children's safety. The order's impact is particularly concerning as the US grapples with its worst measles outbreak in 35 years. Kennedy has been accused of contributing significantly to the crisis by spreading anti-vaccine sentiment and inciting fears surrounding well-established and proven immunizations.

The Trump administration's efforts to overhaul vaccine policy have been blocked by a federal court earlier this year, pending further court proceedings. Both Kennedy and Trump have backed away from anti-vaccination rhetoric, which could result in negative consequences in November's midterm elections. However, the president's latest order underscores the issue's central role in their health policy agenda, as they remain committed to the unfounded belief that vaccines can cause autism.