U.S. President Donald Trump signed a new executive order regulating the vaccination calendar for children, which stipulates fewer shots by limiting the inoculation schedule to 11 immunizations, despite criticism.
The order also recommended splitting the childhood measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three shots and delivering the shots at separate medical visits.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in January cut the U.S. immunization schedule to remove shots against six out of 17 diseases, a move halted by a federal court ruling. The Trump order says that the federal government will now only support the remaining 11 shots.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and vaccine maker Merck criticized the order.
Public health experts say the immunization schedule was based on decades of evidence showing that the vaccines could protect against serious illness and death, and that the number of shots reflects the specific health needs of Americans. They say reducing the recommended vaccines will leave more children vulnerable to preventable diseases.
"Effective immediately, my administration is recognizing gold standard childhood vaccine recommendations for only 11 core vaccinations against the most serious and dangerous diseases, along with the MMR, which hopefully will be split up," Trump said during a White House signing ceremony.
The U.S. ended in January its longstanding guidance that all children receive vaccines against flu and three other diseases, a sweeping change that advances one of Kennedy's long-term goals.
Kennedy, a longtime vaccine critic, has previously led efforts to drop universal recommendations for hepatitis B shots for children and reduce the list of recommended vaccines, citing links to autism that scientists have repeatedly debunked.
The executive order says it reaffirms Kennedy's overhaul despite the ongoing litigation.
