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Acting CDC director says to break up MMR shot

Deputy Health Secretary and acting CDC Director Jim O’Neill called for vaccine makers to separate the combination measles, mumps and rubella vaccine into three separate shots, alarming the scientific community.

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There is no research to support such a massive change, but O’Neill endorsed similar remarks made by President Trump. It’s not clear if the message, made in a Monday post on X, should be seen by drugmakers as an official directive from the agency.

O’Neill gave no reason why he thinks separating the shots and spreading them out over time would be beneficial, but his comments build on the administration’s public skepticism of vaccines.

The combination MMR vaccine was licensed in 1971, and monovalent shots

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