The US government has ordered a major overhaul of childhood vaccination guidance, including splitting the MMR vaccine into separate shots, sparking controversy during a measles outbreak and in the midst of ongoing vaccine debates.
President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to redraw childhood vaccine guidance, including a push to split the measles, mumps and rubella jab into three separate shots given at different visits, according to reporting from The Associated Press. The move follows months of White House efforts to revisit federal immunisation policy and comes as the administration leans on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s long-running call for a broader overhaul of the vaccine schedule.
According to The Associated Press, the order would require the development of new vaccine formulations, because separate MMR vaccines are not currently available in the United States. It also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to expand research on vaccines and autism, a link that has been repeatedly rejected by extensive scientific evidence. Trump has continued to press Kennedy to intensify that work.
The policy shift lands at a sensitive moment. The Associated Press reported that it comes during back-to-school season and amid a national measles outbreak, raising concern among public health officials that any delay in routine vaccination could leave children exposed to preventable diseases between doses. Experts also warned that changing the schedule could complicate efforts to maintain the country’s measles elimination status.
The latest order builds on an earlier White House effort. In May, Trump signed an executive order directing federal health agencies to review childhood vaccination practices in light of approaches used in other developed countries. The White House said at the time that the aim was to align the U.S. schedule more closely with what it described as best practices abroad while preserving flexibility for doctors and parents. That earlier review argued that the United States recommends more childhood vaccine doses than some peer nations and suggested prioritising a smaller set of routine shots.
Trump’s new directive goes further, with Axios reporting that it aligns with advice from Kennedy’s vaccine advisers who have backed a major rewrite of the childhood immunisation timetable. The administration has also suggested states should consider revising school vaccination requirements to match the new federal recommendations, though vaccine mandates remain under state control. The policy is likely to intensify an already fraught debate over childhood vaccines as the campaign season approaches.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
