Trump signs executive order to alter U.S. childhood vaccination schedule

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday that seeks to change the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule. The order proposes that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine be administered as three separate injections once such products become available, and it recommends that all childhood immunizations be given at separate medical visits. Only six of the 17 vaccines currently recommended for all children would retain full recommendations, while others would be limited to high-risk groups or placed under shared clinical decision-making.

The order also tasks the attorney general with challenging state laws that conflict with the new guidance, although executive orders do not have the force of law. Health experts noted that separating vaccines would increase costs and logistical burdens for families and providers, and that the MMR vaccine cannot currently be split because separate licensed products do not exist.

During the signing, Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. referenced autism, a claim that scientific studies have repeatedly refuted. Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician, criticized the order, stating that vaccines are safe and effective and that the president lacks the expertise to revise vaccination policy. Vaccine policy analyst Dorit Reiss said the order is unlikely to have direct operational effects but could add political pressure on states to modify school-entry requirements.