Measles Is Back—and RFK Jr. Is Undermining the Response | Opinion
Summary
Measles cases in the United States are increasing at the highest rate since 1991. Some public officials criticize Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who holds a top health position, for promoting anti-vaccine ideas that may undermine efforts to control the outbreak.Key Facts
- The U.S. saw the largest number of confirmed measles cases since 1991 in 2025.
- Measles is a highly contagious disease that was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.
- Vaccination rates had kept measles under control until recent years.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. holds a high public health office and has expressed anti-vaccine views.
- During President Trump’s first term, he supported vaccines and urged people to get vaccinated against measles.
- Measles killed 83 people on American Samoa in 2019, after Kennedy spread anti-vaccine messages there.
- If measles continues spreading for more than 12 months in the U.S., the country could lose its measles elimination status for the first time in 26 years.
- The rise in measles cases coincides with increased vaccine hesitancy linked to anti-vaccine movements.
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