US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., previously known for his skepticism of vaccines, expressed his support for the measles vaccine on Sunday in response to a deadly outbreak in the southwestern US states, particularly in Texas.
The first US death from the highly contagious disease in a decade occurred in Texas in late February, and involved an unvaccinated child.
Kennedy previously made several inaccurate and misleading statements about the safety of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines and downplayed the severity of outbreaks, describing them as "not unusual."
However, he said in an opinion article published by Fox News that he was "deeply concerned" about the ongoing measles outbreak.
"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 said, adding: "The decision to vaccinate is a personal one." He also urged all parents to "consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine."
The US health secretary also noted that he had instructed federal health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to assist Texas health authorities.
In recent weeks, the CDC and other agencies have experienced staffing reductions due to President Donald Trump's extensive overhaul of the federal government.
Kennedy stressed that health workers, officials, and communities should be responsible for "ensuring that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated" and for making "vaccines readily accessible to all who want them."
He also dismissed accusations that he is anti-vaccine, claiming that his views were misunderstood and that he was advocating for "common sense" policies.
The current Texas outbreak has predominantly affected children, with 116 of the 146 cases occurring in individuals aged under 18, he said.
The Department of Social and Health Services reported that 79 of the confirmed cases involved individuals who had not received the MMR vaccine, while 62 cases had unknown vaccine status, with at least five having received the vaccine, he added.
