Trump signs order to split MMR vaccine into three separate doses

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday that separates the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization into three distinct injections given at different appointments. The directive further instructs the nation's health department to increase efforts in vaccine research, without providing a timetable for how far apart the visits should be. In announcing the order, Trump claimed the United States has long required more childhood vaccine doses than comparable countries, citing figures like 72 jabs for children.

Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican and physician, publicly rebuked the order, asserting that Trump lacks the necessary medical expertise and emphasizing that vaccines are not linked to autism. The order has sparked debate over federal involvement in vaccine scheduling and public health policy.