RFK, Jr., America’s likely next health secretary, has ignited a passionate and angry firestorm with his incendiary and maverick positions against vaccines. This has created panic among both public health experts and communities. Measles is spreading exponentially in Gaines County, Texas, which was recently visited by him. This trip is a reminder of the contentious anti-vaccine movement and the national debate about public health and public health policy.
Kennedy has a long track record of pushing harmful, anti-vaccine disinformation about vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases. Experts have been quick to admonish his rhetoric, which erodes public confidence in the safety and efficacy of vaccines. This carries serious consequences for the health of communities. Others are worried that whatever good will come from his initiatives will be outweighed by increased barriers to access for important vaccinations, particularly among at-risk communities.
During his recent trip to the affected community in Texas, Kennedy made no bones about the need for research. He called for further research into whether certain vitamins and drugs could treat measles more effectively. As you can imagine, this claim fits quite nicely into his larger narrative that seeks to undermine all conventional medical wisdom about vaccine preventable diseases.
Kennedy’s health department announced plans to roll out new safety surveillance systems and approval requirements for vaccines. Hundreds of immunologists and public health officials have spoken out against this move. They warn that it could do more to destroy the already-fraying public health infrastructure. As critics point out, these changes are going to increase access barriers to the people who need vaccines the most.
Kennedy’s long anti-vaccine activist history is established. Dr. Paul Offit, a leading immunologist, stated, “Here, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is exactly who he has been for the last 20 years. He’s an anti-vaccine activist, he is a science denialist and a conspiracy theorist.” Offit and other experts emphasize that Kennedy harbors a “fixed belief that vaccines are doing more harm than good – as he’s said over and over again.”
The effects of Kennedy’s behavior have already led to chilling predictions about America entering a “post-herd-immunity world.” Dr. Offit warned, “We’re living in a post-herd-immunity world. I think the measles outbreak proves that.” Immunologists worried that with misinformation increasing, the risk of infection for these diseases—even those we had almost eradicated—could skyrocket.
In his public statements, Kennedy has spread harmful misinformation and inflammatory lies regarding the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. He even claimed that it has “aborted fetus debris” in it. These claims have no scientific basis and have understandably fueled fears among parents and communities about the safety of vaccines.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has criticized Kennedy’s promotion of alternative treatments for measles, stating, “There is no cure for measles, and it can result in serious complications. It’s misleading and dangerous to promote the idea that measles is easily treated using unproven and ineffective therapies like budesonide and clarithromycin.”
Though Kennedy’s stances on vaccines overall are widely considered dangerous and inflammatory, he has made halfhearted attempts to endorse the MMR vaccine, which prevents measles to begin with. His mixed messaging is what concerns many public health experts. They are afraid that it might undermine vaccination rates.
As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to navigate his role as health secretary amidst widespread scrutiny, the discourse surrounding vaccines remains polarized. Public health officials are increasingly aware of the need to counter misinformation and restore trust in vaccines as a critical component of community health.
