Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. insisted during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing that he has never been anti-vaccine, despite spending decades spreading disinformation about vaccine safety. He denied responsibility for the resurgence of measles cases in the United States, which have surged due to vaccine skepticism fueled by his rhetoric according to Democrats who questioned him.
Key Takeaways
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. blamed immigrants for measles outbreaks during a House committee hearing, denying responsibility despite decades of spreading vaccine misinformation. Democrats highlighted the surge in measles cases due to vaccine skepticism fueled by his rhetoric.
- RFK Jr. accused immigrants of causing infectious disease outbreaks
- Rep. Debbie Dingell cited families avoiding vaccination due to government guidance
- Measles cases surging, with national vaccination rates dropping below 95%
- Kennedy replaced HHS advisory committee members with vaccine skeptics
- Federal court ruling left several vaccines in limbo
Kennedy's testimony came as part of a hearing on President Donald Trump’s 2027 budget request. He faced intense scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers for minimizing the seriousness of measles outbreaks, emphasizing personal choice over science, and baselessly claiming that the measles vaccine leads to deaths every year. Last year, he dismantled HHS's advisory committee on immunization practices and replaced its members with anti-science vaccine skeptics.
Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) confronted Kennedy about families in her district who avoided vaccination because they were following government guidance. According to HuffPost, Dingell expressed concern over the rising number of infectious disease cases such as measles and polio, stating that many Americans have stopped getting vaccinated due to misinformation spread by Kennedy and his appointees.
The U.S. is at great risk of losing its measles elimination status, with several states fighting to contain outbreaks that originated in Texas last year. Public health experts maintain that the best way to prevent infection is to receive the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. However, Kennedy blamed the drop in inoculation rates on the U.S. government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which he parroted misinformation about vaccine safety and efficacy.
Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.), a pediatrician, highlighted the alarming trend of parents hesitating to give their babies vitamin K shots at birth due to doubt created by Kennedy's rhetoric. According to HuffPost, national vaccination rates fell to 92.5% in the 2024-25 school year, below the 95% rate needed to prevent outbreaks.
Kennedy also denied making statements about reparenting Black children on ADHD medication during a 2024 podcast. He faced criticism from medical experts for promoting what they described as 'medical racism.' The NAACP Center for Health Equity called his views dangerous and said they have already led to numerous preventable deaths.
A federal court ruling last month left several vaccines in limbo after it froze the work of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. This decision has raised questions about whether newly approved products will be covered by insurers, particularly for updated COVID-19 vaccines and other respiratory disease treatments.
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