Feeling confused by the US Government?

There’s now an executive order in the U.S. about splitting the combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines into 3 separate injections, given at separate appointments. Here’s why it’s a bad idea 👇

First, let’s get one thing straight. There is no new evidence suggesting that the current MMR vaccine is unsafe, or that splitting the combination vaccine into 3 individual shots would be safer. ❌

Now that this is out of the way…

Combination vaccines are vaccines that are administered in a single injection containing antigens against 2 or more diseases [1]. The goal is to reduce the number of injections a child needs while providing the same protection against disease. They also reduce the logistical burden of multiple appointments for both the healthcare system and parents [1,2,3].

Splitting the MMR vaccine into 3 separate injections means parents would need to schedule 5–6 vaccine appointments so their children could receive 5–6 separate injections, instead of the 2 currently recommended [1,4,5]. This also means children could remain unprotected for longer, while increasing the risk that certain doses are forgotten or skipped because of logistical issues [1,2].

This proposal (because, yes, that’s all it is) isn’t based on new evidence. Instead, it feeds into fear-mongering rhetoric. It risks increasing vaccine hesitancy and leaving our children more vulnerable to preventable diseases [6].

The MMR vaccine, in its current combined form, is proven to be the safest and most effective at preventing serious consequences, including death, from all three diseases [7].