Key facts
- President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for the separation of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into individual shots.
- Experts state that individual MMR vaccines are not currently licensed in the U.S. and could take up to 10 years to develop and gain FDA approval.
- Manufacturers Merck & Co and GSK stated there is no scientific evidence supporting the separation of the vaccines and affirmed the safety of their combined shots.
- Public health experts warned that the order could increase vaccine hesitancy and lead to lower vaccination rates.
- The White House indicated it would work with the private sector to make separate vaccine options available.
President Donald Trump's executive order directing Americans to receive separate measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines faces immediate obstacles, as none of the individual shots are licensed in the United States. Experts estimate it could take up to a decade before any become available, if they ever do.
Merck & Co and GSK, the two manufacturers licensed to produce combined MMR shots in the U.S., stated that there is no published scientific evidence supporting the separation of the vaccines and that decades of evidence support the safety of their combined shots. Merck indicated that meeting safety and efficacy requirements for FDA approval and subsequent manufacturing could take as long as 10 years.
The order, signed by Trump, suggests the combined MMR vaccine should be administered in three separate single-disease shots once such products are domestically available. Trump also suggested vaccines cause autism, a claim lacking scientific evidence. Public health experts expressed concern that the order could increase vaccine hesitancy and expose more children to preventable illnesses.
The CDC and major medical groups have long recommended the combined vaccine to reduce the number of injections and ensure children receive protection against all three diseases. Dr. Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, noted that developing and manufacturing separate components would likely take another 10 years, with no current indication of interest from manufacturers. Jesse Goodman, former Chief Scientist at the FDA, highlighted the significant cost and time involved in establishing manufacturing processes and obtaining regulatory approval for separate shots.
A White House official stated the administration would collaborate with the private sector to offer separate vaccine options, citing parental demand. However, Dorit Reiss, a professor of law specializing in vaccine policy, suggested that companies might delay compliance, potentially waiting out the current administration.