The WHO has condemned Donald Trump’s recent efforts to alter childhood vaccination policies in the US, warning that such measures contradict scientific evidence and could worsen the country’s measles resurgence amidst political scrutiny.
The World Health Organisation has warned that Donald Trump’s latest push to reshape childhood vaccination in the United States runs counter to a large body of medical evidence, as the administration steps up a fight that has already drawn sharp criticism from doctors, public health officials and even some Republicans.
Trump signed an executive order on Monday calling for a review of school vaccine mandates and reviving his demand that the combined measles, mumps and rubella jab be broken into three separate injections. The move comes while the United States is facing its worst measles outbreak in 35 years, with schools about to reopen and public health experts warning that any extra hurdles could make it harder to contain infections.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general, said the science on vaccines and autism is “unequivocal” and stressed that vaccination policy should be based on transparent scientific review rather than political pressure. He warned that delaying doses or splitting them without medical need does not make children safer and can leave them exposed to preventable disease. The WHO said the changes are not aligned with decades of evidence and repeated that vaccines remain among the strongest tools for protecting children.
The president’s order follows months of sweeping changes under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long promoted discredited claims about the MMR shot and autism. According to reporting by Axios, the order would reduce the number of recommended childhood immunisations and ask health authorities to draw up implementation plans within 90 days. The Wall Street Journal has also criticised the shift, warning that it could depress vaccination rates and encourage further outbreaks at a politically sensitive moment, with the midterm elections approaching.
Medical and scientific groups have long said there is no credible evidence linking vaccines to autism, and the CDC and other experts have argued that combining the MMR doses is safe, more convenient and more likely to keep vaccination rates high. Critics say the administration’s approach risks turning a settled public health issue into a campaign issue, while parents and doctors are left to navigate a more complicated schedule. Trump also announced on his first day back in office that the United States would leave the WHO after 77 years.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
