Regulatory NewsBREAK: Administration Releases Executive Order on Childhood Vaccinations

On August 10, 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order titled, Delivering Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations for Americans (the EO).  

The EO recommends all children get immunizations for 11 diseases, a decrease from the 18 diseases recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2024. The EO states that immunizations that are no longer recommended for all children are now recommended for shared clinical decision-making. 

The EO recommends separating the combined MMR vaccine into three single-disease shots and recommends administering all vaccines during separate medical visits.

The EO suggests that states with school vaccine requirements should consider updating their laws to reflect the recommendations.

The EO directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the HHS Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines, to present plans to the President within 90 days to: 

• offer options for administration of childhood vaccines as single doses, 
• assess the timing and sequencing of core childhood vaccines, 
• develop alternative adjuvants to aluminum and conduct comparative safety and efficacy studies,
• provide continuous evaluation of the risk/benefit profiles of all childhood vaccines, and
• improve vaccine safety monitoring, transparency, and research.

The EO requires all Federal agencies to advance the Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations based on their relevant authorities. 

More on This Topic: 

• Executive Order

• Fact Sheet

• HHS Assessment

For questions, please reach out to Geni Tunstall.