At World Travel Clinic we are here to commit to safeguarding your health, keeping you healthy whilst your travels is our top priority. Vaccines are a big part of this – not just for travel but for protecting your health. So, when high profile figures like President Donald Trump voice uncertainty about vaccines, in particular the MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) it’s important to set the record straight with science.
Trumps controversial comments on MMR:
Former U.S. President Donald Trump recently repeated old concerns about the MMR vaccine. He said it should be given as three separate shots instead of one combined dose, and mentioned he had “heard a lot of bad things” about it over the years. While he didn’t directly say it causes problems, his comments were similar to those made by Andrew Wakefield a British doctor who wrongly claimed the MMR vaccine was linked to autism. Wakefield’s research was proven false, and he lost his medical license because of it.
What does science actually say?
The MMR vaccine has been rigorously studied for decades. The result? It is safe, effective, and scientifically sound to administer as a combination vaccine.
Why Combine Vaccines?
-
Fewer Injections = Less Pain: Having measles, Mumps, and Rubella in one shot reduces the number of needle sticks a child must endure.
-
Improved Compliance: Fewer clinic visits mean better adherence to vaccination schedules.
-
Earlier Protection: Children are protected more quickly against all three potentially severe diseases.
How Do We Know It’s Safe to Combine Vaccines?
Vaccines like the MMR are made in a way that lets all three parts Measles, Mumps, and Rubella work safely together without affecting each other. Before being used, they go through lots of testing with thousands of people to make sure they’re safe and effective. Even after they’re approved, experts keep checking them to make sure nothing changes.
Trusted health organisations like the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) all agree that the combined MMR vaccine is safe.
There’s also a lot of research to back this up. Big studies some involving over 650,000 children have found no link between the MMR vaccine and autism or any other long-term health problems.
What Happens If We Go Back to Single Doses?
President Trump’s suggestion of using single-dose vaccines instead of the combined shot might seem harmless on the surface, but it has significant downsides:
-
Delayed Immunity: Children may be left vulnerable while waiting for each individual dose to be administered.
-
Lower Uptake: More appointments increase the chance of missed or delayed vaccinations.
-
Higher Costs: It places a heavier burden on healthcare systems and families alike.
In short, reverting to single shots would undermine decades of public health progress and open the door to the re-emergence of preventable diseases like measles, which has already seen a troubling rise in cases globally. Vaccines are one of the greatest medical advancements in history, saving millions of lives each year.
The MMR vaccine is a shining example of this success:
-
Measles deaths have dropped by 73% globally since widespread vaccination began.
-
Mumps and rubella have been nearly eliminated in countries with high vaccine coverage.
The World Travel Clinic proudly support the use of safe, effective, and scientifically-backed vaccines—including the MMR vaccine—as part of our mission to protect global travellers and their communities.
Sources:
https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/mmr-vaccine/
