Two key health agencies under the leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are now promoting skepticism about vaccines, a stance that experts caution could result in increased illness and fatalities.
Kennedy, who assumed the role of Secretary of Health and Human Services on February 13, has long been associated with anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. For years, he has propagated debunked claims that vaccines are linked to autism and other neurological disorders, as reported by AP News.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) oversees 11 agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is responsible for public health monitoring, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which finances medical research.
On March 7, the CDC announced an extensive study to explore potential connections between vaccines and autism in children. HHS mentioned in a statement that due to the rising autism rates, the CDC would thoroughly investigate the matter.
However, significant research has previously discredited any links between vaccines and autism, with the consensus among medical experts being that no such relationship exists. The apparent increase in autism cases is largely attributed to enhanced detection and screening practices rather than an actual surge in prevalence.
Shortly thereafter, the NIH was reported by the Washington Post to be withdrawing grants for research aimed at understanding vaccine hesitancy and strategies to bolster vaccination rates (source).
These developments occur amidst a critical situation: a measles outbreak in New Mexico and Texas has triggered a public health crisis in the southwestern U.S. The outbreak is primarily due to parents choosing not to vaccinate their children against this deadly virus, which can lead to severe complications such as lung fluid accumulation and brain swelling.
In a March 2 op-ed, Kennedy emphasized the importance of addressing the measles outbreak, urging parents to vaccinate while also maintaining that vaccination is a “personal choice.” He controversially suggested that vitamin A supplements could be a treatment for measles, a claim that has been widely questioned.
A 2024 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation highlights that fewer than 93% of kindergarteners received all required vaccinations. This falls short of the 95% threshold deemed necessary by the CDC to prevent community transmission of preventable diseases.
In 2024, there were 16 measles outbreaks compared to just four in the previous year, 2023.
Kennedy has also taken steps affecting other vaccines. Last month, he canceled a meeting regarding the composition of the upcoming flu shot and threatened to cut funding for a bird flu vaccine development.
An HHS spokesperson has yet to comment on these developments.
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