President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday setting new recommendations for children's vaccinations, limiting the list of recommended vaccines to 11.
The order also calls for separating the combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and administering the three shots at three different doctor visits instead of one.
Trump's remarks at the signing
Signing the order at the White House, Trump said his administration recognizes recommendations for only 11 vaccinations, which he described as protecting against the most serious and dangerous diseases. He also said the United States recommends more childhood vaccines than other countries, and said the number amounts to even double the doses given in some European countries.
Public health experts push back
Public health experts said the immunization schedule was built on decades of data collection showing that vaccines can protect children from serious and life-threatening diseases. They warned that cutting the number of recommended vaccines would leave more children vulnerable to diseases that can otherwise be prevented.
