Michigan health officials reject Trump vaccine executive order, keep existing schedule

Michigan's health department announced it will maintain the state's existing childhood immunization schedule despite a federal executive order issued on Aug. 10 that seeks to reduce the number of recommended vaccines and split combined shots such as measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).

Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state's chief medical executive, said Michigan will keep its vaccine recommendations, school requirements and exemption processes unchanged, emphasizing that the department continuously reviews safety data and has found no new evidence to justify altering the schedule.

The order calls for separating combined vaccines into single-disease formulations and limits several vaccines to "high-risk" groups, while promoting broader parental authority over school-entry exemptions. The administration described the move as a victory for parental, religious and constitutional rights.

The American Academy of Pediatrics' president, Dr. Andrew Racine, called the order "dangerous" and warned it could sow doubt about vaccine safety. He cited extensive studies showing no link between vaccines and autism.

Michigan's immunization rates for kindergarteners are slightly below national averages, with about 90.9% receiving the recommended MMR doses, according to CDC data. The state has reported 16 measles cases and two outbreaks amid a national rise in measles to a 35-year high.

Public health experts noted that separating the MMR vaccine would be technically difficult and costly, with manufacturers indicating that single-disease versions have not been produced in the United States since 2008 and could require years of testing and regulatory approval.

State officials reiterated support for combined vaccines, citing their long-standing safety record and the benefit of fewer injections for children.