Trump order cutting vaccine schedule driven by autism concerns

• President Donald Trump issued an executive order to reduce the federal childhood vaccination schedule from 17 to 11 immunizations.
• The order also seeks to separate the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three individual shots.
• Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is leading studies into potential vaccine dangers, including links to autism and autoimmune diseases.
• Medical experts and scientists have refuted claims linking vaccines to autism.
• Leading medical groups express concern that the order will foster vaccine hesitancy and expose children to preventable diseases.

President Donald Trump's frustration over the perceived lack of action on vaccine safety, particularly concerning a potential link to autism, was the driving force behind a recent executive order that curtails the U.S. childhood vaccination schedule, according to administration officials.

The order, which aims to reduce the number of recommended childhood immunizations from 17 to 11 and separate the MMR vaccine into three distinct shots, is seen by some officials as a step toward fulfilling Trump's demands. It also directs the Justice Department to challenge state-mandated vaccination requirements for school attendance.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is spearheading a series of studies examining the alleged dangers of vaccines, including potential links to autism and autoimmune diseases. However, medical experts and scientists widely dispute these concerns, stating that extensive research over many years has thoroughly refuted such claims.

Leading medical organizations have voiced concerns that Trump's order will exacerbate confusion and vaccine hesitancy among families, potentially leading to increased exposure to preventable diseases. They fear Kennedy's studies are geared toward a predetermined conclusion unfavorable to vaccine safety.

Kennedy's previous attempt to alter the immunization schedule in January was blocked by a federal judge who ruled that health regulators had acted unlawfully. The administration is currently appealing this ruling.

Sources indicate that Trump has been pressing Kennedy to deliver on promises related to autism research, with private discussions and public inquiries highlighting the president's desire for immediate action. This pressure has intensified in recent months, despite political advisors urging caution before the midterm elections.