Chicago – April 07, 2025
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has shared his support for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which has caused anger among anti-vaccine activists.
Kennedy made the statement in a long post on social media platform X, saying, “The most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine.” He posted this after meeting with families in Gaines County, Texas, where two children recently died in a measles outbreak. Kennedy also said he told the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to send MMR vaccines and other medical supplies to pharmacies and clinics in Texas.
Doctors agree with Kennedy’s statement. Dr. Paul Offit, who works at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said one dose of the vaccine is about 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective at stopping the disease. The Texas Department of State Health Services reported that out of 481 measles cases as of April 4, only 10 were in people who had gotten at least one dose of the vaccine. Sadly, three unvaccinated people — two children in Texas and one adult in New Mexico — have died.
Even though Kennedy’s message follows strong scientific evidence, many people in the anti-vaccine community reacted angrily on social media.
