WHO says Trump vaccine shake-up goes against evidence

The World Health Organization (WHO) has criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to overhaul child vaccination policies in the country, asserting that they contradict decades of scientific evidence. President Trump signed an order on Monday, advocating for a review of school vaccine mandates and pushing for the separation of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three distinct shots.

His health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, has been a vocal proponent of an anti-vaccine stance, having founded an anti-vaccine group and previously promoting a debunked link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that the scientific consensus remains clear: vaccines are safe and effective, including the MMR vaccine, which does not contribute to the development of autism. Ghebreyesus expressed concern over recent changes to U.S. immunization policies, stating that they are not consistent with the substantial evidence supporting the continued safety and efficacy of current vaccination practices.

He reiterated that the WHO relies on rigorous, independent, and transparent reviews of the best available scientific data to guide vaccination policy decisions, rather than political influence. Ghebreyesus insisted that vaccines provide the strongest protection against infectious diseases, and that the number of doses and the combinations of vaccines can be administered safely. He stressed that delaying or unnecessarily spacing vaccinations can compromise a child's protection and lead to potential outbreaks.

The U.S. is currently grappling with its worst measles outbreak in 35 years as children return to school, potentially exacerbating the spread of infections. Trump's vaccine order arrives amid these public health challenges. His administration's decision to withdraw from the WHO on its first day back in office in 2025 further underscores the discord between the administration's stance and the scientific consensus on vaccination safety and efficacy.

Despite Trump's position, medical research has consistently found no link between autism and vaccination. However, Kennedy and other vaccine skeptics continue to propagate this unfounded claim. Kennedy has launched a comprehensive review of existing vaccines, revised the child vaccination schedule, and reduced funding for the development of new vaccines, measures that have drawn sharp criticism from the medical and scientific communities.

WHO reassured parents that vaccines remain one of the most powerful tools for safeguarding children's health and preventing deadly diseases.