What do health expert groups say regarding the use of separate and combination vaccines against measles, mumps, and rubella?
In the United States, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the American Academy of Family Practioners (AAFP) provide guidelines on vaccination and on the use of combination vaccines. ACIP recommends that “combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine generally should be used whenever any of its component vaccines is indicated.” Receiving MMR vaccine rather than the separate component vaccines results in fewer shots and decreases the chance of delays in protection against all three diseases (measles, mumps and rubella). The AAP also recommends that combined MMR vaccine be used for immunization of U.S. children against measles, mumps, and rubella.
