Kennedy asks parents to consider vaccine
Death from measles prompts 'call to action'
By: Eric Lagatta
USA today
..... Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation's top health official, is asking parents to consider measles vaccinations for their children - though not outright suggesting them - as the once-eradicated disease spreads through Texas and other states.
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Referring to the deadly outbreak as a "call to action," Kennedy wrote in an opinion piece published Sunday [03/02/2025] on Fox News Digital that parents should consult with physicians about the MMR vaccine, which also covers mumps and rubella.
..... "The decision to vaccinate is a personal one," Kennedy wrote. "Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons."
..... Kennedy, who has previously expressed skepticism about vaccines and made false claims about the measles shot, authored the op-ed after an unvaccinated school-age child last week [02/26/2025] v became the first measles death in the U.S. in a decade.
..... The highly contagious virus, which primarily affects children, has since been surging in Texas and several other states.
..... "By working together - parents, healthcare providers, community leaders, and government officials - we can prevent future outbreaks and protect the health of our nation,' Kennedy wrote. "Under my leadership, ( the U.S. department of Health and Human Services) is and will always be committed to radical transparency to regain the public's trust in its health agencies."
..... Kennedy's op-ed comes after he fielded a reporter's question last week [02/26/2025] in the White House during his first public appearance as the nation;s sectary of Health and Human Services.
..... During the meeting Wednesday [02/26/2025] of President Donald Trump's cabinet, Kennedy said two people had died in an ongoing measles outbreak in Texas. The claim contradicted reports from national and local health officials - including HHS p that only one person had died.
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Kennedy, who founded the anti-vaccine group Children's Health Defense, also said at the same briefing that measles outbreaks were "not unusual."
..... In his op-ed, Kennedy affirmed that health care providers, public leaders and policymakers all have a "shared responsibility to protect public health."
..... "This includes ensuring that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated," Kennedy wrote. "We must engage with communities to understand their concerns, provide culturally compartmentalization, and make vaccines readily accessible, for all those who want them."
..... While no antiviral medication is approved for measles patients, Kennedy also touted vitamin A as a way to "Dramatically reduce measles mortality." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eternally updated its recommendations in support of vitamin A being administered in certain cases under physician supervision. Doctors hope to debunk claims, through, that vitamin A stops children form getting the measles, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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"Vitamin A is recommend for children diagnosed with measles to help prevent complications, particularly in children who are hospitalized," Dr. Sean T. O'Leary, chair of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases,s aid in a statement. "It should not be sued to try to prevent measles, and high doses of vitamin A are potentially very harmful. they only effective way to prevent measles is the MMR vaccine."
..... Contributing: Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today