President Donald Trump has ordered a major overhaul of childhood vaccination guidelines, reducing recommended immunisations from 17 to 11 and proposing the split of MMR into individual vaccines, amid criticism from medical experts and public health officials.
US President Donald Trump has ordered a major shake-up of childhood vaccination guidance, cutting the number of routine immunisations recommended for all children from 17 to 11, according to ABC News. The move would shift vaccines against hepatitis A and B, meningococcal disease, rotavirus, flu and Covid-19 into advice for children deemed at higher risk, while leaving parents free to request any of the shots for their children.
The executive order also seeks to split the combined MMR jab for measles, mumps and rubella into three separate injections. Trump said during the signing that the diseases “together… can be quite dangerous, but separately, it appears, not dangerous at all and just very effective”, according to the reports. Axios said the order would require the three shots to be given during different medical visits.
The decision reflects a broader push from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, whose long-running scepticism about vaccination has repeatedly placed him at odds with mainstream medical opinion. According to reporting from Axios and other US outlets, Kennedy has backed a review of the routine childhood schedule since taking office, and critics say the latest step echoes claims that have been rejected by the scientific consensus.
Medical groups and public health officials have warned that separating the MMR vaccine could make immunisation more cumbersome, more expensive and less likely to happen on time. Axios reported that officials, including the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and Senator Bill Cassidy, argued there is no scientific evidence supporting the change, while doctors have warned that the policy could weaken protection just as measles cases in 2026 have already surpassed last year’s total. The controversy comes amid wider criticism of the administration’s vaccine messaging, including the CDC’s disputed website update on autism and vaccines, which has drawn condemnation from physicians and public health experts.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
