Delivering Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations for Americans
Directs a shift in the federal childhood vaccine schedule toward what the order calls Gold Standard recommendations aligned with peer developed countries and greater parental choice. It recommends universal childhood immunization against 11 diseases, down from the 18 the CDC recommended in 2024, and moves the remaining vaccines to shared clinical decision-making between parents and clinicians. It also provides that the MMR vaccine be given as three separate single-disease shots once domestically available, and that childhood immunizations be administered at separate visits where feasible. The order builds on a December 2025 presidential action and cites a January 2026 HHS scientific assessment finding that the United States recommends more childhood vaccines and doses than any peer nation. Provisional EO number pending Federal Register publication.
Section by Section
What each section does, and how they differ.
Cites the December 5, 2025 Presidential Memorandum and EO 14407; notes HHS's scientific assessment found the U.S. recommends more childhood vaccines and doses than any peer nation. Declares a policy of aligning core childhood vaccine recommendations with peer developed countries while preserving access and maximizing parental choice.
Declares 'Gold Standard' recommendations in three tiers: recommended for all children (measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib, pneumococcal, HPV, varicella = 11); recommended for high-risk groups; and by shared clinical decision-making. Directs that MMR be given as three separate single-disease shots once domestically available and that shots be given at separate visits where feasible. Advises states to review school-enrollment mandates.
Directs the HHS Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines, within 90 days, to offer single-vaccine options starting with MMR, reassess timing and sequencing of the federal schedule, develop non-aluminum adjuvants, continuously evaluate risk/benefit, and improve safety monitoring and transparency.
Directs the Attorney General to support meritorious legal challenges to state vaccine-mandate laws that conflict with constitutional and federal statutory protections for parental authority and religious liberty, and directs federal programs/funding toward maximal parental choice.
Standard boilerplate: no impairment of existing agency authority, subject to appropriations, creates no enforceable rights. (Confirm exact text on parse.)