WHO chief expresses concern over US immunisation policy changes
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that the agency is concerned about recent changes to immunisation policy in the United States, warning that they do not align with the best available scientific evidence and could put unvaccinated children at risk. When one of the world's most influential countries revises its vaccination schedule citing a "gold standard", and the global medical community sounds the alarm, what is at stake is the most precious thing – children's health.
Vaccines that have saved millions of lives for decades suddenly become a subject of political debate, where science gives way to ideology. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, addressing the world from Geneva, reminded us: behind these decisions lie not just bureaucratic changes, but real risks for entire generations, who may be left unprotected against diseases we had almost defeated.
At a press briefing in Geneva, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addressed the growing vaccine scepticism in the United States, a problem largely initiated by officials in the Trump administration. Tedros spoke after US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order aimed at narrowing the list of vaccines recommended for all American children.
The order established what the Trump administration calls the "Gold Standard for Childhood Vaccination Recommendations", under which 11 vaccines, instead of the existing 18 recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, would be recommended for all children, while several others would be reserved for certain high risk groups or recommended based on shared decision making between parents and doctors.
The White House said the changes were based on scientific evidence, international comparisons and parental choice. The report cited a US Department of Health and Human Services assessment that the US currently recommends more childhood vaccines than other developed countries, with some European countries recommending less than half that number.
In response to these changes in US childhood vaccination policy, Tedros expressed concern and said that the vast majority of established scientific evidence points to the effectiveness and safety of vaccines in protecting against viral diseases. "WHO is concerned that changes to immunisation policy in the US are not in line with the best scientific evidence.
Decades of research have shown when children are most vulnerable to disease, when vaccines provide the strongest protection, how many doses are needed and which vaccines can be safely given together. This evidence is constantly reviewed as new data emerges from around the world. And the evidence is clear. Vaccines, including the MMR vaccine (against measles, mumps and rubella), are safe and do not cause autism," he said. The WHO chief also warned that any delays or unnecessary separation of vaccine doses could leave children vulnerable to preventable diseases.
"Delaying vaccination or unnecessarily separating the introductory course does not make vaccination safer and can leave children unprotected. Vaccination policy should be based on careful, independent and transparent analysis of the best available scientific evidence, not political influence," he said.
Trump's executive order, cutting the recommended childhood vaccine list from 18 to 11, has caused a stir not only in the medical community but also among international organisations. The US administration argues that the move is needed to reduce "excessive" vaccination and give parents more freedom of choice. However, the WHO and many independent experts point out that such a policy contradicts years of scientific evidence that has underpinned successful immunisation programmes worldwide.
Particular concern has been raised by the exclusion of hepatitis B, polio and chickenpox vaccines from the general list for low risk children. The WHO stresses that changes to immunisation policy should not be based on political decisions but solely on rigorous scientific research. If the new approach is implemented, experts estimate that the US could see a rise in infections that have been under control for decades.
As CCTV+ reports, the WHO's position remains firm: science must be above politics, and any changes to the vaccination schedule require a balanced approach based on evidence, not ideological preferences.
