Trump pushes overhaul of US policy on vaccines for children
In an executive order, President Trump calls for fewer recommended childhood vaccinations and more spacing between shots. Medical experts say the changes lack scientific backing and could leave children less protected.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday proposing significant revisions to the United States' policy on childhood vaccinations. The order recommends reducing the number of recommended immunizations, separating measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three individual shots, and scheduling shots during separate medical visits.
Trump characterized the changes as a victory for parental, religious, and constitutional rights. The federal government would still support 11 core childhood vaccines, but it would not directly determine most school vaccine mandates, which remain largely set by individual states. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had previously sought to eliminate vaccines against six diseases from the childhood schedule, but a federal judge blocked those changes.
Public health experts warn that spreading shots across multiple appointments could leave children vulnerable to preventable diseases for longer periods and increase the risk of missed doses. Critics argue that the order is based on politics and conspiracy theories rather than scientific consensus.
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