Washington, August 11: U.S. President Donald Trump has defended his recommendation to administer measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines separately. He acknowledged, however, that there is no direct evidence suggesting that combining the three vaccines poses any risk.
Trump made these statements after signing an executive order that implements new vaccine recommendations for children. This policy stipulates that when separate vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella become available, they should be administered individually.
When asked if there is any evidence that the combined MMR vaccine could be lethal, Trump replied, “No.” He added, “I’ve heard some people believe that. My point is, if there’s a five percent risk, let’s separate them.”
He stated that he has heard that individual vaccines are safe, but combining them could lead to “dangerous outcomes.” The President also suggested that children should receive vaccines during separate medical visits rather than all at once. Trump noted that he followed this approach with his own children.
“I took my kids for five different vaccines. I had to visit the doctor five times for this. In fact, they receive 20 percent of the dose each time, and I had no issues with it,” he explained.
While he acknowledged that frequent doctor visits can be inconvenient, Trump speculated that spacing out vaccinations could impact autism rates.
When asked if families would incur additional co-payments due to multiple doctor visits, Trump promised assistance but did not announce any specific financial program. He stated, “We will work with them and their families to ensure that everything is fine in terms of costs.”
The executive order identifies 11 diseases for which vaccination is mandatory for all children. Vaccines for other diseases will only be administered to at-risk groups or with mutual consent from parents and doctors.
Under the new rules, vaccination for hepatitis B, influenza, and COVID-19 is no longer recommended for everyone.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that government agencies have begun studies to assess the safety of vaccines and their long-term health impacts.
Kennedy stated, “We are comparing the health effects on vaccinated and unvaccinated children.” He further mentioned that they are investigating the impacts of aluminum adjuvants, the hepatitis B vaccine given during pregnancy, and other vaccines in relation to allergies, autoimmune diseases, autism, and other neurodevelopmental issues.
Kennedy also revealed that the National Institutes of Health has approved 13 research projects to investigate the prevalence, causes, treatments, and services related to autism. Five of these projects will examine vaccines as potential causes.
NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya described autism as a “very complex condition” and warned that finding answers will take time. He emphasized, “The answers won’t come easily. Science takes time.”
Bhattacharya highlighted the importance of the measles vaccine, especially in controlling outbreaks. However, he opposed excluding children from school based on their parents’ vaccination decisions.
The order advises states to review vaccination rules for schools. White House Domestic Policy Advisor Heidi Overton noted that 28 states have stopped adhering to CDC recommendations since January 2026 and are formulating their own policies.
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