Key Points
- WHO says proposed changes to the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule are not supported by decades of evidence.
- Trump’s directive seeks to reduce the number of routine childhood immunisations and alter how some vaccines are administered.
- WHO maintains that vaccines, including MMR, are safe and do not cause autism.
- Tedros says vaccination policies should be based on independent scientific evidence rather than political considerations.
Main Story
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised concerns over an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump seeking to revise the country’s recommended childhood vaccination schedule.
WHO Secretary-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, expressed the concern in a statement on Wednesday, while reaffirming the importance and safety of childhood vaccination.
Trump signed the executive order on Monday directing a review of routine childhood immunisations and introducing what his administration described as “Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations.”
Under the proposed changes, the number of childhood diseases covered by routine immunisation would be reduced from 18 to 11. The recommendations also propose administering the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines separately rather than as a combined shot.
The administration said the changes were intended to strengthen vaccine research and increase parental choice, while ensuring compliance with legal protections relating to parental authority, religious freedom, disability accommodations and equal protection.
Tedros said WHO was concerned that the proposed changes did not reflect established scientific evidence on the timing of childhood vaccinations, the number of doses required and the safety of administering certain vaccines together.
He said vaccination schedules were continually reviewed as new evidence emerged globally and that national health authorities relied on scientific assessments to determine appropriate vaccination policies.
Tedros maintained that vaccines remained one of the most effective tools for preventing serious childhood diseases.
He also rejected claims linking vaccination to autism, saying available evidence showed that vaccines, including the MMR vaccine, were safe and did not cause autism.
According to him, unnecessarily delaying vaccinations or separating doses could leave children without protection against preventable diseases.
The WHO chief said national vaccination policies should be developed through rigorous and transparent scientific reviews rather than political considerations.
The Issues
The dispute centres on proposed changes to the U.S. childhood immunisation schedule and the extent to which vaccination policy should be influenced by political decisions and parental choice. WHO maintains that vaccine schedules should be guided by scientific evidence and continuous health assessments.
What’s Being Said
“Vaccines are among the most powerful tools for doing that, making deadly diseases preventable.” – Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Secretary-General
“The current evidence is unequivocal: vaccines – including the MMR vaccine – are safe and do not cause autism.” – Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Secretary-General
“Vaccination policy should be guided by rigorous, independent and transparent review of the best available science, not by political influence.” – Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Secretary-General
What’s Next
The Trump administration is expected to proceed with its review of childhood vaccine recommendations, while health authorities and medical experts continue to assess the proposed changes against existing scientific evidence.
Bottom Line
WHO is challenging the scientific basis of the proposed changes to the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule, insisting that immunisation policies should be determined by evidence on vaccine safety and effectiveness rather than political considerations.
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