RFK distances himself from measles outbreak, bashes Tylenol study
Source: Roll Call
Posted April 17, 2026 at 2:30pm
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sought to distance himself from U.S. measles outbreaks on Friday at a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on the administrations fiscal 2027 budget request. The hearing, part of Kennedys weeklong tour of Congress on the budget, was relatively light on spending discussions, as Democrats who have repeatedly requested such a hearing with Kennedy looked to pin him down on a range of issues.
The hearing was often combative, with Democrats drawing attention to issues such as vaccines and Kennedys focus on school nutrition. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., chair of the committee, repeatedly reminded members to keep their tone appropriate, noting that a second-grade teacher should be able to safely present the hearing for kids. Kennedy defended himself against assertions that his rhetoric is partly responsible for the ongoing measles outbreak.
He said most cases of measles have occurred in people over the age of 5, meaning that the parents decision not to vaccinate pre-dated his term as secretary. The accusation is not science-based, he said. The measles outbreak began in January 2025, before I took office. Almost 90 percent of the people affected are over 5 years old, so they made the decision not to, that their decision to not vaccinate predated my occupation of their seat.
Most children are recommended to receive the measles vaccine at 1 year of age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions childhood vaccine schedule. This measles outbreak this year has totaled more than 1,700 cases as of Thursday, according to the CDC. About 72 percent of those are people under 19 years old, with about 1 in 5 being under age 5. The United States is at risk of losing its measles elimination status for the first time since 2000. Losing that status would mean that the country no longer goes for long periods of time without major outbreaks.
Read more: https://rollcall.com/2026/04/17/rfk-distances-himself-from-measles-outbreak-bashes-tylenol-study/
twodogsbarking
(18,972 posts)Marie Marie
(11,369 posts)children whose parents were following his advice that vaccines are unnecessary and/or dangerous? Or will he be too busy examining the genitals of roadkill? Cause you know, lotsa dead animals and he could be a busy guy...
NickB79
(20,386 posts)He personally helped kill over 80 kids in Samoa.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Samoa_measles_outbreak
From October 1, 2018 to late November 2018, UNICEF provided 115,500 measles vaccines doses to Samoa, including the diluent, syringes and safety boxes, and shipped Vitamin A supplies.[22][23] UNICEF and WHO estimate that the newborn measles vaccination rate fell from 74% in 2017 to 34% in 2018.[24][25] Vaccination rates dropped to 31% in Samoa, compared to 99% in nearby Nauru, Niue, Cook Islands,[17] and American Samoa.[26] In March 2019, the WHO and UN children's agency UNICEF warned the Pacific to take proactive measures and improve immunisation rates.[27]
In June 2019, American anti-vaccination activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited Samoa to meet with local anti-vaccination activists including Taylor Winterstein and Edwin Tamanese, whom he called a "medical freedom hero". Kennedy also discussed vaccines with then-Prime Minister Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi,[28][29] and campaigned against the vaccine on social media.
DrMJG10
(73 posts)First anti-vac people I have dealt with here in the US came about the same time as the outbreak you wrote about above. But, at that time, the school systems I worked in made no to extremely few exceptions to the vac requirements. Now many systems are more concerned about the cost of litigation. We are dealing with many anti-vac people who are too stupid to accept the science. As teachers, as much as the kids in schools, we are subjected to health harm thanks to them.
Martin68
(27,902 posts)SouthBayDem
(33,310 posts)So the politicians pointing out the problem is inappropriate as opposed to Fake RFKs quackery?
I truly regret all those hours I spent listening to Ring of Fire in 2013-14.
wolfie001
(7,810 posts)pro-tRUMP Canadians.
Same breed of idiots that either cheered for or participated in the trucking fiasco in Ottawa.
amcgrath
(441 posts)And it's not just measles. The government has made it illegal to ask/require workers/students/customers to mask or be vaccinated.Along with vaccinations, they have cut all sorts of screening and monitoring programs. They have also shut down offices that would once collate health information - such as outbreaks of measles - and take steps to limit the spread.
Insurance companies work by calculating risk. Measles - once classed as eradicated in the USA has been reported as having hit 1,748 cases this year - on track to beat its previous yearly record since vaccinations by the beginning of summer - and bear in mind that parents who don't care for vaccines are also less likely to report cases.
When your kids are more likely to encounter measles, mumps, chickenpox and whatever at school, the odds of them catching something go up. When the odds of riding the subway with someone with TB go up, so will premiums, when the odds of the staff at the lunch counter having hepatitis go up, so will your premiums. And when hospitals are forced to treat patients without healthcare, they will recoup their losses by increasing prices on other services. Meaning insurance premiums will be pushed higher.
The republicans are doing to health insurance, what climate change has done to Florida home insurance
HeartsCanHope
(1,697 posts)Her daughter was born profoundly handicapped. Measles is a dangerous disease.
Another of the children my mother cared for was blinded after having, (I think I remember this correctly,)
meningitis after having chickenpox. Being older, we didn't have all the immunizations children can get today.
My son got every immunization possible! The fact that RFK Jr. continues to push his nonsense after
he killed those children in Samoa in unconscionable.
But what do you expect from someone who eats roadkill, and snorts cocaine from toilet seats!