Live newsroomScoop NewsLast newsroom update: Aug 13, 10:28 AM

Live source delayed — keeping the latest verified scores on screen while the desk reconnects.

WHO chief voices concern over Trump Administration’s executive order on vaccines

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday upheld the safety of childhood vaccines in response to a new directive from the White House to overhaul the recommended inoculation schedule. On Monday, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order that calls for reducing the number of routine childhood immunizations from 18 to 11 . The administration’s Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations also advocate for separating the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three single-disease shots that would be administered during separate medical appointments. The policy also aims to improve vaccine research and to maximise parental choice over which shots their children receive by ensuring state compliance with constitutional and federal statutory obligations regarding parental authority, religious freedom, accommodations for those with disabilities and equal protection under the law.

Missing media or need the complete publisher report? Open UN News - Global perspective Human stories

Scoop News DeskUnited States · Published Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTCUpdated Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 10:28 AM UTC

Coverage image for: WHO chief voices concern over Trump Administration’s executive order on vaccines

Media link supplied by the Scoop Newsroom app.

Scoop News reporting summary

The text below was supplied by the Scoop Newsroom app. Third-party reporting is attributed in the source panel.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued a statement underscoring the critical role of vaccination for public health. He acknowledged that “ every parent wants to keep their children safe, and vaccines are among the most powerful tools for doing that, making deadly diseases preventable .” He said WHO was concerned that the changes “are not aligned with decades of evidence” on when best to immunize children, how many doses are needed, and which vaccines can be administered together safely.

Breaking news moves fast. Follow @Will466513 on X for breaking news alerts. Follow on X →

Transparent record

Story timeline

Dated changes to this report are shown here as they are published.

Version 2unpublished
Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 10:19 AM UTC
Removed by Scoop Timeline eligibility policy
Version 3published
Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 10:25 AM UTC
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday upheld the safety of childhood vaccines in response to a new directive from the White House to overhaul the recommended inoculation schedule. On Monday, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order that calls for reducing the number of routine childhood immunizations from 18 to 11 . The administration’s Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations also advocate for separating the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three single-disease shots that would be administered during separate medical appointments. The policy also aims to improve vaccine research and to maximise parental choice over which shots their children receive by ensuring state compliance with constitutional and federal statutory obligations regarding parental authority, religious freedom, accommodations for those with disabilities and equal protection under the law.
Version 4unpublished
Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 10:28 AM UTC
Removed by Scoop Timeline eligibility policy