World Health Organization claims Trump's vaccination overhaul contradicts scientific research

The World Health Organisation issued a warning on Wednesday, stating that US President Donald Trump's efforts to reform child vaccination policies in the United States contradict "decades of evidence".

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This warning came after Trump signed an order on Monday, calling for a reevaluation of school vaccine mandates and proposing that the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine be administered as three separate shots.

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US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has been a long-time advocate for the debunked link between the MMR vaccine and autism, and has even founded an anti-vaccine group.

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WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus countered this claim, stating that the science is "unequivocal" and that vaccines, including the MMR vaccine, are safe and do not cause autism.

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Tedros emphasized that vaccination policies should be based on "rigorous, independent, and transparent review of the best available science", rather than political influence, in a post on X.

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He expressed concern that recent changes to US immunization policies are not aligned with decades of evidence, and that vaccines provide the strongest protection when administered correctly.

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Tedros noted that the evidence on vaccines is continuously reviewed as new data emerges from around the world, and that this information is used to determine the safest and most effective vaccination schedules.

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The WHO chief also warned that delaying or separating vaccine doses unnecessarily can leave children unprotected and does not make vaccination safer.

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Trump's vaccine order was issued as the US is experiencing its worst measles outbreak in 35 years, with children across the country preparing to return to school, which is likely to further spread infections.

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The president had previously announced plans to withdraw the US from the WHO after 77 years, a decision that is set to take effect on his first day back in office in 2025.

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Despite extensive medical research, no link between autism and vaccination has been established, yet skeptics like Kennedy continue to suggest a potential connection.

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Kennedy has launched a major review of vaccines, including some that have been in use for decades, and has also overhauled the child vaccination schedule and cut funding for the development of new vaccines, moves that have been strongly condemned by the medical and scientific community.

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Tedros reassured parents on X that vaccines are among the most powerful tools available to keep children safe, making deadly diseases preventable.

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Earlier this year, US courts suspended a shake-up of vaccination policy initiated by Trump, a decision that has significant implications for public health in the US.