The World Health Organization warns that President Donald Trump’s attempt to alter childhood vaccination policies lacks scientific support, as the US faces its worst measles resurgence in 35 years and critics scrutinise politicisation of vaccine guidance.
The World Health Organization has warned that President Donald Trump’s push to rewrite childhood vaccination policy in the United States is not grounded in decades of scientific evidence, as the country confronts its worst measles outbreak in 35 years. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said children could face greater risk if vaccines are delayed or broken into separate doses without a medical reason, and he urged parents to keep seeing immunisation as a crucial shield against severe illness.
In a post on X, Tedros said, “Vaccines including the MMR vaccine are safe and do not cause autism.” He said vaccination guidance should be shaped by independent and transparent research, not political pressure, and argued that the evidence base already shows which vaccines work, how many doses are needed and which can be given safely together. He also warned that spacing out doses without clinical need does not make vaccination safer; it can leave children exposed.
According to Axios, Trump signed an executive order on August 10 directing officials to split the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine into three separate injections given at different visits. The report said the move follows advice from vaccine advisers selected by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and has been criticised by public health officials and medical professionals, including Senator Bill Cassidy, who say there is no scientific basis for separating the shots. Critics also warned it could make immunisation more cumbersome and costly at a time when measles cases are climbing.
The policy fight comes against a broader backdrop of turmoil over vaccine oversight in Washington. Medical Xpress reported in June that Kennedy dismissed 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and replaced them with appointees who include vaccine sceptics, raising further concern about politicisation. The Congressional Record also contains criticism of Kennedy for repeating false claims linking vaccines to autism, while the World Socialist Web Site said recent changes to the childhood schedule and vaccine funding have been made without transparent scientific justification. Tedros, meanwhile, said governments should continue basing policy on evidence and urged parents not to lose sight of the role vaccines play in preventing diseases that can otherwise turn deadly.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
