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Kennedy’s Pro-Vaccine Stance Sparks Backlash from Anti-Vaccine Activists
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent endorsement of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine has drawn sharp criticism from anti-vaccine activists.
Following meetings with families affected by the recent Texas measles outbreak, Kennedy posted on X, stating, “The most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine.” He also announced directives to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide Texas with MMR vaccines and other medical supplies.
Kennedy’s endorsement aligns with scientific consensus. Experts like Dr.
Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia, emphasize the MMR vaccine’s high effectiveness rate, around 93% after one dose and 97% after two. Texas Department of State Health Services data shows that only about 2% of recent measles cases were in partially or fully vaccinated individuals.
While medical professionals like Dr. Kathryn Edwards welcomed Kennedy’s statement, prominent anti-vaccine activists expressed outrage.
Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, known for her controversial views on vaccines, criticized Kennedy’s statement.
Del Bigtree, an anti-vaccine activist and Kennedy’s collaborator, questioned the endorsement. Dr.
Mary Talley Bowden, a physician who has opposed COVID vaccines, stated, “We voted for challenging the medical establishment, not parroting it.” She expressed concern that Kennedy’s pro-vaccine stance mirrors what she views as a heavy-handed approach to COVID-19.
Kennedy’s endorsement marks a shift from his previous vaccine skepticism. As former chair of the anti-vaccine non-profit Children’s Health Defense, he challenged New York’s school vaccine requirement.
In a 2023 interview, he downplayed the MMR vaccine’s role in reducing measles mortality. While he has occasionally acknowledged the vaccine’s efficacy in his new role, he has also promoted alternative therapies with questionable effectiveness.
In a subsequent post, Kennedy shared photos with grieving families and promoted aerosolized budesonide and clarithromycin as therapies. Medical experts like Dr. Offit question the value of these treatments for measles.
Despite Kennedy’s online endorsement, experts remain concerned about the ongoing measles outbreak. Dr.
Offit expressed deep concern, stating, “This is a massive outbreak that is not being controlled.” The resurgence of measles, a disease declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, has raised serious public health concerns.