WASHINGTON—The Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) strongly opposes the Trump Administration’s latest effort to alter the nation’s childhood immunization recommendations, including its directive to separate the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three individual vaccines and administer them during separate medical visits.

The changes come amid continued efforts by President Donald Trump to promote the long-disproven claim that vaccines, including the MMR vaccine, are associated with autism. There is no credible scientific evidence that the MMR vaccine causes autism. Decades of research have found no causal relationship between MMR vaccination and autism, and the scientific report that helped fuel the original controversy was subsequently retracted.

“The latest Executive Order is deeply concerning, particularly at a time when vaccines are already facing unprecedented and unfounded scrutiny,” said Juliet K. Choi, President and CEO of APIAHF. “Parents deserve accurate, evidence-based information about the health and safety of their children—not policies shaped by disproven claims about vaccines and autism.

“The MMR vaccine is safe, effective, and has been used successfully for decades to protect children and communities from measles, mumps, and rubella. There is no scientific evidence that separating the MMR vaccine provides any health benefit. Instead, requiring additional visits can create unnecessary barriers for families and increase the likelihood that children will experience delays in receiving the full protection they need.”

APIAHF is particularly concerned about the impact of these changes on families who already face barriers to accessing preventive health care. Requiring multiple appointments can mean additional time away from work, transportation challenges, childcare arrangements, and difficulties navigating the health care system. For families with limited English proficiency, additional visits can also create additional opportunities for language and communication barriers to interfere with timely care.

“Every child deserves access to timely, high-quality preventive care, regardless of their family’s income, language, immigration circumstances, or where they live,” Choi said. “At a moment when many families are already fearful of accessing health care because of immigration enforcement, we should be making vaccination easier—not creating additional obstacles.”

APIAHF urges parents and caregivers to speak with their pediatricians, physicians, and other trusted health care providers about vaccination and to rely on established scientific evidence when making decisions about their children’s health. Public health policy should be guided by rigorous evidence, medical expertise, and the best interests of children and families—not misinformation or disproven theories.

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