Trump signs executive order to overhaul pediatric vaccine recommendations

Trump signed Executive Order 14407 on May 29, 2026, which overhauls U.S. childhood vaccine recommendations, reducing routine childhood vaccines from 18 to 11 core diseases immunizations recommended for all children, additional vaccines now reserved for high-risk groups or 'shared clinical decision-making' with doctors, order calls for splitting the combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three separate shots and recommends spacing vaccines across more medical visits, CDC and HHS have updated the immunization schedule to three categories:
all children, high-risk groups, and shared decision-making, while maintaining insurance coverage for all recommended vaccines, states retain authority over school vaccine mandates but are urged to consider the new federal recommendations, directive has sparked strong pushback from public health experts and medical groups concerned about delayed or missed vaccinations and increased disease risk, order also directs Justice Department to challenge state vaccine mandate policies that restrict parental exemptions.