Additional Coverage:
- Haunting moment RFK Jr. tells Americans to cure measles with chicken soup before disease kills 2 (irishstar.com)
A resurfaced video shows Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. advising patients with measles to rely on chicken soup and vitamin A rather than vaccination-a stance that has drawn renewed scrutiny amid a recent measles outbreak in Pennsylvania. This comes after two unvaccinated individuals in Lancaster County died from measles, marking the first fatalities in the state from the disease in 35 years.
The footage, recorded in 2021 at a gathering in Lancaster, captures Kennedy recounting his own experience as a measles survivor while downplaying the severity of the illness. “It was horrible.
What is the cure for measles? Your measles is chicken soup and vitamin A.
And neither of those things can be patented,” he told attendees, notably omitting any mention of vaccines.
Since that time, measles has resurged across the United States, with 2024 becoming the worst year for the disease since 1991. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported over 2,700 cases this year-surpassing the previous record set in 2023-with three deaths recorded last year. Pennsylvania alone has reported nearly 400 cases, underscoring the ongoing challenge.
State Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen expressed condolences to the families affected by the recent deaths in Lancaster and highlighted a growing lack of public awareness about measles, given its elimination in the region for more than three decades. “People don’t fully understand the potential severity of the illness,” she noted.
Lancaster County, home to a significant Amish population known for hesitancy toward vaccinations, reported an 88% vaccination rate among kindergartners last school year, below the 95% threshold considered necessary to prevent outbreaks. Nationwide, kindergarten vaccination rates have slightly declined, with an increase in exemption rates, according to recent federal data.
Despite his earlier comments, Kennedy has recently shifted his public stance on vaccination. In an interview earlier this month, he acknowledged the effectiveness of the measles vaccine and encouraged parents to immunize their children.
“A measles vaccine is effective; it stops measles in about 97% of the cases. People should get vaccinated,” he told CNN’s Dana Bash.
He also recommended the combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine as the primary protection against these diseases.
As health officials prepare for an international review in November to determine if the U.S. and Mexico will retain their measles-free status-a milestone achieved in 2000 through sustained high vaccination rates-public health experts emphasize the importance of vaccination to prevent further outbreaks and fatalities.