Trump pushes overhaul of US childhood vaccine policy
In an executive order, President Trump calls for fewer recommended childhood vaccinations and more spacing between shots. Medical experts warn the changes lack scientific backing and could leave children less protected.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday proposing substantial revisions to the nation's childhood vaccination guidelines. Among the changes, the order seeks to reduce the number of recommended immunizations and to administer them during separate medical visits. This would entail separating the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into individual shots for each disease.
The federal government will support 11 core childhood vaccines, but states and territories will have the authority to review vaccine requirements for school enrollment, though the federal government cannot directly determine these policies. The order directs the Health and Human Services Department to enhance vaccine research and create a plan to make single-antigen vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella available in the US, as these are not currently licensed.
Critics, including public health experts, warn that spreading shots across more appointments could leave children vulnerable to preventable diseases for longer and increase the risk of delayed or missed later doses. They caution that there is no scientific evidence supporting the benefits of splitting the MMR vaccine. The move has been criticized as politically motivated and conspiratorial, with experts warning that it may undermine the safety and effectiveness of existing vaccination schedules.
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