Why does the HHS secretary appear to be doing everything he can to promote the deadly virus’s spread?
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On February 13, the United States Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). The following day, the Texas health department reported the first case of measles in an unvaccinated child.
Two weeks later, on February 26, as the outbreak continued to spread, a healthy 8-year-old girl died from measles; this was the first child death in the United States in more than 20 years.
The following day, in a meeting at the White House, RFK Jr. declared that measles outbreaks were “not unusual.” Nothing new here, he argued, even though measles had been eliminated from the US in 2000.
The measles outbreak spread to several other states. Soon hundreds of children were infected.
At this point, RFK Jr. should have loudly, boldly, and clearly urged parents to vaccinate their children. He didn’t. Rather he said that measles vaccination was a “personal decision,” and that parents should do their own research to make an informed decision.
Then, on March 17, in an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, RFK Jr. proceeded to grossly misinform the public, saying that “measles vaccine kills people every year,” that the “measles vaccine causes blindness and deafness,” and that “the measles vaccine causes the same symptoms as measles.”
Two weeks later, a second, healthy child died from measles; again, a little girl.
By embracing the benefits of measles infection, RFK Jr. has done everything he can to encourage this outbreak.
RFK Jr. continued to downplay the growing measles epidemic, which now involved dozens of states. On April 9, only two days after the second child had died from measles, RFK Jr., while comparing the measles outbreak in the US to that in eastern Europe, said, “The United States is a model for the rest of the world.” According to him, the fact that “only” two children had died from measles this year was something for which we should be proud, not embarrassed.
Later, he made it clear exactly why he wasn’t bothered by the growing measles epidemic. According to RFK Jr., natural infection with measles virus should be welcomed.
First, he claimed that measles infection was better than vaccination. Whereas natural measles infection would offer life-long protection, immunity following vaccination faded every year, leaving most adults vulnerable.
In fact, measles vaccination protects people for the rest of their lives. Because immunity following measles vaccination doesn’t fade, we were able to eliminate the disease from the US.
Then RFK Jr. doubled down, saying that natural measles virus prevented cancer, heart disease, and allergic disorders. Again, a complete falsehood.
By embracing the benefits of measles infection, RFK Jr. has done everything he can to encourage this outbreak.
He has also said nothing about the growing pertussis epidemic, which has now killed children in Washington, Louisiana, South Dakota, and Idaho. Nor has he said anything about the 216 children who have died this season from influenza — a death rate in children not seen since the global flu pandemic in 2009.
All these outbreaks are caused by undervaccination.
Is this what President Donald Trump meant when he said RFK Jr. should “go wild” on public health?
If RFK Jr. really wants to Make America Healthy Again, he can start by urging vaccinations to prevent avoidable deaths. Unfortunately, because he has said that “no vaccine is safe and effective,” he is unlikely to do that.
Is this what President Donald Trump meant when he said RFK Jr. should “go wild” on public health?
RFK Jr. is a threat to America’s children. He should step down as secretary of Health and Human Services.
Adapted, with permission, from Paul Offit’s substack Beyond the Noise.
Paul Offit, M.D., is a professor of pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, co-inventor of a rotavirus vaccine, and author of Tell Me When It’s Over.
