President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that would significantly reduce the number of vaccines routinely recommended for American children, a move the administration says will increase parental choice, but pediatricians warn could expose children to preventable diseases.
The Aug. 10 order recommends routine immunization against 11 diseases, down from 18 under the 2024 federal schedule. Vaccinations against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, influenza and COVID-19 would instead be reserved for high-risk children or decided through consultation between parents and health-care providers.
The order also calls for administering the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine as three separate shots once single-disease products become available domestically.
The order directs federal agencies to advance the new recommendations and encourages states to reconsider school vaccination requirements. States, not the federal government, generally determine which vaccines children must receive to attend school.
The American Academy of Pediatrics called the order “unscientific and dangerous.” AAP President Dr. Andrew Racine said there is no new evidence supporting such sweeping changes and warned that additional appointments could delay vaccinations and create confusion for families. Individual measles, mumps and rubella vaccines have not been available in the United States since 2009.
The AAP continues to recommend immunization against all 18 diseases in its 2026 schedule, which it says is based on decades of research and continuing safety surveillance. More than 210 medical, scientific and public-health organizations have joined the academy in opposing the order.
Trump and administration officials have also raised discredited claims about a connection between vaccines and autism. Extensive research involving millions of people has found no causal link.
The executive order does not immediately change state school mandates or eliminate access to the affected vaccines. Similar federal recommendations issued earlier this year were blocked by a judge, and related litigation remains pending.
Guest:
Dr. Michael Burgess is a former Texas congressman and physician.
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