President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to overhaul childhood vaccination guidelines in the US, advocating for separated MMR doses and reducing federal vaccine recommendations amid criticism from health experts.
Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order that would sharply reshape childhood vaccine advice in the United States, backing a long-running effort by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to move away from the standard immunisation schedule. According to the Associated Press, the order calls for the measles, mumps and rubella jab to be split into three separate injections, rather than given as a combined MMR vaccine. It also seeks to end universal federal recommendations for hepatitis B, COVID-19 and influenza shots.
The move has immediately drawn criticism from doctors and public health groups, who warn that spreading out routine vaccines could make children more vulnerable to preventable illness. The AP reported that the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical organisations said the current schedule is supported by decades of safety and effectiveness research. Axios said the administration’s approach reflects Kennedy’s broader push to revisit long-established immunisation policy, despite the scientific consensus that the combined MMR vaccine does not cause autism.
The order also raises questions about how far the White House can go on its own. According to the AP, changes to vaccine policy typically require action through the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, while school immunisation rules are largely set by states. The White House had already set the stage for a review in May, when Trump signed Executive Order 14407 directing the Department of Health and Human Services to reassess the childhood schedule and compare it with practices in other developed countries.
Earlier this year, a health policy newsletter circulated by HHS said the administration wanted the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to consider greater flexibility over the timing and sequencing of routine shots. That broader review has now moved into a more confrontational phase, with the latest order pushing the debate from internal assessment to an overt challenge to the existing childhood vaccine framework.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
