Sept 17 (Reuters) - U.S. vaccine advisers will vote this

week on a proposal to drop recommendations for using the

combined measles shot for children, putting a topic of concern

to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. high on the public

health agenda.

Kennedy, who has a long history of sowing doubt over the

safety of vaccines, contrary to scientific evidence, has widely

promoted the idea that vaccines combining shots against measles,

mumps and rubella, as well as varicella (MMRV), are linked to

autism.

Repeated scientific studies have disproved both assertions.

The panel, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization

Practices (ACIP), will vote on a proposal that the combined MMRV

vaccine given before age 4 years is not recommended at its

meeting scheduled for September 18-19, according to a draft

agenda on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's

website on Wednesday.

The meeting comes after Kennedy abruptly fired all 17 ACIP

members in June and named eight new advisers, including several

who had advocated against vaccines.

Since taking the role of top U.S. health official under the

administration of President Donald Trump, Kennedy has begun

vaccine policies for the American public. He recently asked for

a review of all data, including for the measles shot, by far the

best way to prevent infection with the highly contagious and

sometimes deadly virus.

For children under the age of four, the CDC currently

recommends that most receive a first dose of an MMR vaccine and

a separate varicella shot. For the second dose, and for children

over four, the CDC says the MMRV vaccine is generally preferred

over separate shots.

This year, the U.S. reported more measles cases than in any

year in more than three decades, with 1,454 confirmed measles

cases nationwide as of September 9.

Combination vaccines to prevent infection with measles,

mumps and rubella viruses are marketed in the United States by

Merck ( MRK ), and GSK. Merck ( MRK ) also sells the ProQuad

shot that includes protection against those three viruses and

varicella.