The United States declared the elimination of measles back in 2000. However, lately, the disease has been spreading through the unvaccinated communities in the country. The fresh outbreak took the lives of three people, including two kids. Amid the chaos, RFK Jr., who is mostly known as a prominent vaccine skeptic, admitted the MMR shot is “the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles.”
Despite endorsing the vaccine, he surprisingly kept mum about the touchy topic while attending a supper with Pete Hildebrand, the dad of eight-year-old Daisy, who dies of measles. Amid an outbreak in Texas, Daisy suffered a measles pulmonary failure, and RFK Jr. paid his respects to the bereaved Hildebrand family. According to The Guardian, the healthy secretary avoided saying anything. “He did not say that the vaccine was effective…I had supper with the guy… and he never said anything about that,” Pete said.
However, the measles-stricken daughter’s father stood by his anti-vaccine belief during the interview with The Guardian. “I know it’s not effective because some family members ended up getting the vaccine, and they got the measles way worse than some of my kids. The vaccine was not effective,” he said.
Over the weekend, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also visited the families of Kayley Fehr. She was a six-year-old kid who lost the battle to measles in February, becoming the first death by the disease in the U.S. in over a decade. The Health Secretary said, “My intention was to come down here quietly to console the families and to be with the community in their moment of grief.” He added, “I am also here to support Texas health officials and to learn how our HHS agencies can better partner with them to control the measles outbreak.”
I came to Gaines County, Texas, today to comfort the Hildebrand family after the loss of their 8-year-old daughter Daisy. I got to know the family of 6-year-old Kayley Fehr after she passed away in February. I also developed bonds with and deep affection for other members of…
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) April 6, 2025
Amid the current outbreak, RFK Jr. announced that as of Sunday, there were 642 cases of measles recorded. 499 of which were confirmed in Texas. Apart from Daisy and Kayley, an adult in Lea Country, New Mexico, also succumbed to the disease.
Though Kennedy recently endorsed the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine following his Texas visit, he also backed some contradictory methods. He supported the work of two controversial “healers,” known for using unconventional therapies like cod liver oil and vitamin A. RFK Jr. said the “healers have treated and healed some 300 measles-stricken Mennonite children” using these unconventional methods.
Notably, Kennedy’s comment over MMR being the “most effective way” of treating measles had met with mixed reactions from people. On X (formerly Twitter), one person mockingly wrote, “If I were a lifelong supporter of RFK Jr, I’d be seriously pissed off right now. I would see his endorsement of the MMR vaccine to prevent measles as a betrayal. I wouldn’t want him to state medical facts. I would have hoped he pushed the pseudoscientific quackery he always did.”
