President Trump is proposing sweeping changes to how children are vaccinated, saying the MMR vaccine should be broken up into separate shots. At a White House press conference, flanked by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid head Dr. Mehmet Oz, Trump said children should instead receive separate shots for measles, mumps and rubella — though he apparently forgot the name of rubella. Trump also recommended removing aluminum from vaccines and said parents should wait until their children are 12 to vaccinate against hepatitis B, falsely stating the viral infection is only sexually transmitted, even though it can also be spread through open wounds, contaminated objects, during birth or through breastfeeding. Trump said his recommendations were “based on what I feel.” He made the remarks while promoting unproven claims that vaccines and the common painkiller acetaminophen cause autism — despite decades of research showing no proven links.

President Donald Trump: “Effective immediately, the FDA will be notifying physicians that the use of aceta — well, let’s see how we say that, acetaminophen, acetaminophen — is that OK? — which is basically commonly known as Tylenol, during pregnancy can be associated with a very increased risk of autism. So, taking Tylenol is not good.”

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists called the announcement “irresponsible,” adding, “It is highly unsettling that our federal health agencies are willing to make an announcement that will affect the health and well-being of millions of people without the backing of reliable data.”