The director of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom, expressed his concern about the announcements from the Donald Trump administration in the United States regarding changes in childhood vaccination policies.
Specifically, the health authority reacted to an executive order signed by the Republican leader last Monday, which limits recommendations on inoculations for children. Thus, the initiative would result in fewer vaccine recommendations overall.
Among the considerations in Trump’s determination is the proposal to inoculate minors against 11 diseases, which is seven fewer than those recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Additionally, the order considers replacing the combined MMR vaccine with three separate injections for measles, mumps, and rubella.
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In a statement on August 12, again highlighted by the United Nations (UN) news page, the WHO director warned that “vaccination policy must be guided by a rigorous, independent, and transparent review of the best available science and not by political influence.”
The health authority also added that his organization is concerned that “changes to immunization policy in the United States are not in line with the best scientific knowledge.”
In this regard, he emphasized that vaccination data is continuously reviewed as new data emerges. “The current evidence is unequivocal: vaccines, including the MMR vaccine, are safe and do not cause autism. Delaying vaccines or unnecessarily separating doses does not make vaccination safer and can leave children unprotected.”
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