Wisconsin Healthcare Experts Raise Concerns About New Childhood Vaccine Recommendations From the Federal Government

Tuesday, August 18th, 2026 -- 12:00 PM

(Wisconsin Radio Network) Wisconsin healthcare experts are raising concerns about new childhood vaccine recommendations from the current administration, saying the changes could leave parents confused as families prepare for the new school year.

Accoring to the Wisconsin Radio Network, the President recently signed an executive order recommending that pediatricians split the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three separate shots for children.

The recommendation has prompted questions from parents and healthcare providers about childhood immunization practices. Dr. Jim Conway, medical director of the UW Health Immunization Program, said the federal government’s recommendation does not change how public health decisions are typically made across the country.

“The federal government doesn’t really set the standards for public health in this country. They’re really state by state and that’s always been the way it is,” Conway said. “From our standpoint, what it does is just introduce a lot of confusion into the whole system.”

Conway said one of his biggest concerns is that the recommendation could increase uncertainty about the importance of routine childhood vaccinations. “It’s going to put into more people’s minds this question about are vaccines really that important, which ones are really the most important ones to get,” Conway said.

“We’ve spent a lot of time over 70 years of creating and improving vaccines, helping people understand that vaccines work best when they’re offered for everybody.” Healthcare providers say vaccines protect not only individual children but also help reduce the spread of disease throughout communities.

Conway also pointed to what he describes as declining public trust in health information, fueled by the large volume of information available online and on social media. “We’ve seen this sort of erosion of trust within public health in general,” Conway said. “There’s so many sources of information and it’s hard to vet which ones are really good quality and which ones are just people’s opinions.”

He encouraged families with questions about vaccines to speak with their healthcare providers and consult trusted medical organizations rather than relying solely on online sources.

Despite the debate surrounding vaccine recommendations, Conway emphasized that routine childhood immunizations remain a safe and effective tool for preventing serious illnesses.

“Vaccines are probably one of the most amazing things that we’ve developed as scientists and as humans on this planet,” he said. “There’s a level of complacency because these diseases that afflicted our parents and grandparents and other generations have largely become a memory, but unfortunately those memories are starting to be stirred up.”

Healthcare experts say parents seeking guidance ahead of the school year should discuss any concerns with their pediatrician or family healthcare provider.

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