Parents may notice changes to the federal childhood vaccine recommendations following a new executive order signed this week. The changes affect which vaccines are routinely recommended for all children and could eventually change how some vaccines are given. The order also calls for making separate measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines available as an alternative to the combined MMR vaccine. Right now, those individual vaccines are not available in the United States, and the combined MMR vaccine has a long-established safety and effectiveness record. As a physician and a parent, I believe these decisions should be based on the best available medical evidence and your child's individual health.