There have been fireworks throughout Well being and Human Companies (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s testimony as we speak earlier than the Home Training and Workforce Committee, as Kennedy confronted a second day of criticism from Democrats.
Kennedy’s look was ostensibly to debate subsequent yr’s HHS funds. However, as was the case throughout yesterday’s listening to earlier than the Home Methods and Means Committee, he was grilled on the continued unfold of measles: Final yr, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, which is an HHS company, reported 2,288 circumstances of measles in the US, essentially the most infections since 1991.
Kids are dying of illnesses that we thought we had eradicated.
Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens of Michigan, who launched articles of impeachment towards Kennedy in December 2025, mentioned People are much less protected below his watch.
“Kids are dying of illnesses that we thought we had eradicated,” she mentioned.
Measles was declared eradicated in the US in 2000 due to widespread vaccination, which is 97% efficient after two doses. However rising pockets of the nation at the moment are beneath the 95% threshold wanted to take care of herd immunity.
The declining vaccination charges coincide with rising skepticism about vaccine security and efficacy.
Kennedy, a scion of America’s most storied political dynasty, was a distinguished anti-vaccine activist earlier than becoming a member of the Trump administration. For at the least 20 years, he has publicly questioned the protection of varied immunizations.
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) pointed to Kennedy’s file, telling the secretary that he ought to resign from HHS.
“Let somebody with actual {qualifications} run this company,” she mentioned.
Kennedy says measles rise predates his HHS management
Republicans have been solicitous of Kennedy all through the listening to, and Rep. Bob Onder (R-MO) implied that Stevens’ impassioned criticism of Kennedy was motivated by a want to go viral on social media.
For his half, Kennedy appeared unfazed by verbal assaults from Democrats as he defended his file, noting that measles circumstances have been on the rise in the US earlier than he took over as head of HHS.
Kennedy’s 20 years of vaccine skepticism, together with as chair of Kids’s Well being Protection, is a part of that image no matter his swearing-in date.
That framing is deceptive, mentioned Jake Scott, MD, an infectious illness doctor on the Stanford College Faculty of Drugs.
The current giant measles outbreaks are occurring due to years of falling vaccine protection, mentioned Scott. “Kennedy’s 20 years of vaccine skepticism, together with as chair of Kids’s Well being Protection, is a part of that image no matter his swearing-in date,” he mentioned.
It is placing what number of fewer dad and mom are vaccinating their youngsters since Kennedy took workplace, mentioned David Hill, MD, a spokesperson with the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Whereas correlation does not show causation, Hill mentioned, it will be attention-grabbing to exchange Kennedy with somebody who has “a extra scientific understanding of public well being and see if the development reverses.”
Kennedy mentioned, “I’ve by no means been anti-vaccine,” but additionally mentioned that vaccines will not be adequately examined for security. He’s made quite a few related earlier statements questioning the worth of vaccination and has additionally mentioned that the measles vaccine causes deaths “yearly.”
There have been no deaths proven to be associated to the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine in wholesome individuals, in accordance with the Infectious Ailments Society of America.
“There have been uncommon circumstances of deaths from vaccine unwanted effects amongst youngsters who’re immune compromised, which is why it is suggested that they don’t get the vaccine,” the society states.
Measles deaths in Texas have been preventable
The medical system must be extra understanding of people that don’t need to vaccinate, a few of whom forgo remedy for spiritual causes, argued Kennedy.
He mentioned that HHS does not advise medical doctors on the way to deal with people who find themselves “really sick” as a result of it has been “so targeted on a single intervention,” that means vaccination.
Kennedy added that the 2 unvaccinated women in Texas who died from measles final yr might have been saved, “if the hospital gave them correct remedy.”
Measles is a horrible illness, and issues will be deadly—even with the very best medical care on the planet. That is why prevention is so necessary!
Kennedy didn’t clarify what qualifies as correct remedy. Except the medical information are launched and reviewed by educated medical professionals, it is inappropriate to depend on conjecture or suggest that totally different remedy might have modified the end result, mentioned Ari Brown, MD, a board-certified pediatrician based mostly in Texas.
“Measles is a horrible illness, and issues will be deadly—even with the very best medical care on the planet. That is why prevention is so necessary!” she mentioned.
The one remedy of measles is supportive care: oxygen, fluids, administration of secondary bacterial infections—akin to pneumonia—and, below doctor supervision, vitamin A, mentioned Scott, who added that the women who died had been wholesome youngsters previous to getting measles.