Trump signs executive order to reduce childhood vaccines and separate MMR shots

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 10, 2026, that changes the recommended childhood vaccine schedule. The order cuts the number of recommended vaccines from 18 diseases to 11. It also calls for splitting the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella, into three separate shots given at different visits. However, these individual vaccines are not currently sold in the United States. Trump said that one-year-olds should receive their shots across five separate visits. Health officials say that splitting vaccines into more visits could mean some children miss later appointments. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attended the signing. The White House says the changes give parents more choice over their children's healthcare.