Washington, D.C. — Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, publicly contradicted President Donald Trump on Sunday by stating that the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is not lethal.
“No, the MMR vaccine is not a lethal vaccine,” Oz told Margaret Brennan on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.” Trump recently claimed the combined vaccine could potentially be “quite lethal” while promoting an executive order calling for measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations to be offered separately.
The combined MMR vaccine has been used in the United States since 1971 and is routinely recommended for children in two doses. There is no credible evidence that separating the vaccines makes them safer. Separate measles, mumps and rubella vaccines also are not currently available in the United States.
Oz nevertheless defended Trump’s broader order, saying the administration wants parents to have greater choice over which vaccines their children receive. The order also recommends limiting the routine childhood schedule to 11 core vaccinations, with additional shots based on individual risk and consultation with physicians.
Major medical organizations have criticized the changes, warning that reducing or delaying recommended vaccinations could increase preventable disease.
Oz’s statement provides a clear correction of Trump’s claim while leaving the administration’s broader effort to revise childhood vaccination policy intact.
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