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Trump Orders Split MMR Into Three Separate Shots

8/13/2026

34 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Trump Splits MMR

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 12, 2026, to split the MMR vaccine into three shots.
The order also requires each childhood vaccine be administered at a separate visit.
Merck & Co., GlaxoSmithKline and former FDA chief scientist Jesse Goodman said no licensed single-disease MMR shots exist, could take years, and would create logistical hurdles.

Summary

Doctors Reject Order

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald rejected the order, saying it offers no benefit and would confuse parents.
Allegheny County Medical Director Dr. Jillian Irwin urged families to keep children up to date with the MMR vaccine, noting single-antigen versions are unavailable.
Shreveport pediatric leader Dr. Joseph Bocchini called the order “makes no sense,” warning it could discourage vaccination and raise outbreak risk.

History

Historical Context

In 1971 Merck licensed the first combined measles-mumps-rubella vaccine developed by Maurice Hilleman, and by 1974 about 40 % of U.S. children had received it, sharply reducing measles cases. President Donald Trump’s 2026 order to split MMR into three separate visits reverses that consolidation, raising concerns that fragmented scheduling could erode the coverage gains achieved over the past decades.

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Trump Splits MMR

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 12, 2026, to split the MMR vaccine into three shots.
The order also requires each childhood vaccine be administered at a separate visit.
Merck & Co., GlaxoSmithKline and former FDA chief scientist Jesse Goodman said no licensed single-disease MMR shots exist, could take years, and would create logistical hurdles.

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