Source: Fortune.com
Summary
President Donald Trump has issued an executive order aimed at changing the way childhood vaccinations are administered in the US. The order calls for separating combination shots, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, into individual injections. This would require pharmaceutical companies to develop new vaccines and manufacturing facilities, and parents would need to make multiple trips to the doctor for their children to receive the separate shots. Health experts have condemned the move, citing a lack of scientific basis for the change and concerns about the potential impact on public health.
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The announcement sounds familiar.
Trump’s order would require pharmaceutical companies to spend tens of millions of dollars on new studies and manufacturing facilities. Merck and GSK, two of the companies that supply US childhood vaccines, have expressed support for the safety and effectiveness of their current products. The FDA would need to review and license each unbundled vaccine separately, a process with no precedent. Parents would need to make multiple trips to the doctor, which could lead to missed appointments and lower vaccination rates.
This is a case of “fixing” something that isn’t broken.
Author: Evan Null
