Trump Limits Childhood Vaccinations to 11 Shots Amid Public Health Expert Warnings

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 10, 2026, reducing the number of childhood vaccinations from 72 to 11. The move aims to align the U.S. schedule with those of peer nations that recommend fewer shots.

The order, which advances a long-standing goal of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist, removes six out of 17 diseases from the recommended immunization schedule. This means children would receive fewer than the previously recommended 72 injections, with some combination vaccines broken up into separate shots.

Public health experts warn that this change will leave more children exposed to preventable diseases. The American Academy of Pediatrics and vaccine-maker Merck have criticized the order, citing a lack of scientific evidence supporting the changes.