Trump Administration Moves to Change Childhood Vaccine Schedule

August 13, 2026

On August 10, President Trump signed an executive order that would change childhood vaccination recommendations and call into question long-established vaccine practices.  

The executive order reduces the number of vaccines federally recommended for all children from 18 to 11, while moving several others—including hepatitis A and B, influenza, COVID-19 and meningococcal vaccines - into higher-risk or shared clinical decision-making categories.  

In addition, the executive order calls for separating the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine into three single-disease shots, and recommends administering all vaccines during separate medical visits to give parents more options regarding the timing and frequency of this vaccine administration.  

The executive order also calls for further research on vaccines and options for parents, including continuous evaluation of the risk and benefit profiles of all childhood vaccines based on U.S. and international data. Finally, states with school vaccine laws should review and update their laws according to the recommendations contained within the executive order. 

“There is no new evidence to justify significant changes to childhood immunization guidance," said Andrew D. Racine, MD, PhD, FAAP, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in a statement. “Dozens of studies involving millions of people show there is no link between vaccines and autism, and yet federal leaders continue to promote this outdated, disproven idea to scare families. Today's executive order will do nothing to support families of children with autism or advance understanding of the condition. The only purpose of this announcement is to sow confusion so that more people doubt the importance of vaccines. Delaying or skipping shots is risky, especially as measles continues to spread and children go back to school." 

"The recommendations in the executive order add unnecessary confusion and uncertainty around vaccines that have been shown to be both safe and effective," said MMA President Lisa Mattson, MD. "We urge parents and families to talk directly with their physicians about the critical role that childhood vaccines play in preventing serious disease and death, and in protecting the most vulnerable members or our communities." 

The MMA will continue to monitor these developments, and work to ensure physicians and their patients are informed.