Kennedy Links Measles Outbreak to Poor Diet and Health, Citing Fringe Theories

THE NEW YORK TIMES: In a recent interview, the health secretary also suggested that the measles vaccine had harmed children in West Texas, center of an outbreak.

In a sweeping interview, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health and human services secretary, outlined a strategy for containing the measles outbreak in West Texas that strayed far from mainstream science, relying heavily on fringe theories about prevention and treatments.

He issued a muffled call for vaccinations in the affected community, but said the choice was a personal one. He suggested that measles vaccine injuries were more common than known, contrary to extensive research.

He asserted that natural immunity to measles, gained through infection, somehow also protected against cancer and heart disease, a claim not supported by research.

He cheered on questionable treatments like cod liver oil, and said that local doctors had achieved “almost miraculous and instantaneous” recoveries with steroids or antibiotics.

The worsening measles outbreak, which has largely spread through a Mennonite community in Gaines County, has infected nearly 200 people and killed a child, the first such death in the United States in 10 years.

Another suspected measles death has been reported in New Mexico, where cases have recently increased in a county that borders Gaines County. » | Teddy Rosenbluth | Published Monday, March 10, 2025; updated Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Lawrence: Elon Musk Got Caught Lying, and Donald Trump Made the Lie Bigger

Feb 27, 2025 | Donald Trump was praised for answering more questions in his first month than Presidents Biden and Obama answered in their first months. But as MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell notes, a lie is not an answer. And now, having watched how easy it is for Donald Trump to lie to reporters, Elon Musk has decided to do the exact same thing, Lawrence explains.

Elon Musk is an über-rich, lightweight man-child. – © Mark Alexander

‘The Perfect Storm’: RFK Jr’s Confirmed at HHS, as Measles Cases Surge across the Country

Feb 18, 2025 | Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota joins Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House to discuss the health risks that are facing this nations as a result of a surge in measles cases, with vaccinations of young kids down for to prevent the illness over the past few years, all happening as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been confirmed to lead the Health and Human Services for this nation, and the Trump administration begins to cut jobs and funding critical to keeping this country safe and healthy.

Related video here.

Measles Outbreak Expands in West Texas

Feb 12, 2025 | At least two dozen cases of measles have been reported in a West Texas county with one of the highest rates of vaccine exemptions in the state. All of the confirmed cases there involve unvaccinated residents. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician at Johns Hopkins, joined CBS News to discuss the outbreak.

How RFK Jr Became Associated with a Deadly, Preventable Disease

Nov 26, 2024 | Rachel Maddow sums up the story of how RFK Jr. is seen as largely responsible for an explosion of measles cases on the island of Samoa after he spread anti-vaccination claims. Brian Deer, author of "The Doctor Who Fooled the World," joins to discuss.

Ireland Measles: Adult Dies in Hospital after Contracting Disease

BBC: An adult who contracted measles has died in hospital in Ireland, the country's Health Service Executive (HSE) has said.

It is the first confirmed measles case in Ireland this year.

There were four measles cases in 2023, two in 2022, none in 2021, and five in 2020, with no deaths reported in any of those years, according to the HSE.

It comes as health officials across Europe and the UK warn of rising cases amid falling vaccination rates.

The adult died in a hospital in the Dublin and Midlands health region, which covers the Leinster province. The HSE's Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has been notified.

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Ireland's Chief Medical Officer Professor Breda Smyth said she was "very concerned" there was a "high risk" of a measles outbreak in the country and urged people to take up the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

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Measles is a highly contagious disease, which is spread by coughs and sneezes and can be serious at any age.

It often starts with a high fever and a rash, which normally clears up within 10 days - but complications can include pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures. » | James Gregory, BBC News | Thursday, February 8, 2024