Overview
- President Trump said on Friday he will press drugmakers to break certain routine childhood vaccines into five smaller, 20% doses given about six months apart and claimed the change would cut autism rates.
- He did not name specific vaccines and offered no scientific evidence for a link between vaccines and autism, following an August executive order that already sought to cut the federal childhood vaccine list to 11 shots and to separate the MMR vaccine.
- Vaccine scientists including Dr. Paul Offit say reducing dose size and spacing shots would likely make vaccines ineffective because dosing and schedules are set by trials to ensure protective immune responses.
- Changing combination vaccines or creating single-antigen or lower-dose versions would require new clinical trials, FDA approvals and manufacturing changes that could take years, and manufacturers have signaled reluctance.
- The move has raised legal and political fights after courts blocked earlier federal schedule changes and some states resisted White House direction, and public-health officials warn the messaging could increase hesitancy and risk more outbreaks.