RFK Jr. goes full anti-vaccine bananas over two measles deaths—one was a newborn
Two people in Pennsylvania have died during a major measles outbreak, including a newborn, prompting renewed scrutiny of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vaccine statements. The deaths are significant because measles is preventable through vaccination, and public-health experts warn that disputing its role may undermine efforts to raise immunisation rates during a national surge.
Pennsylvania has recorded nearly 400 confirmed cases, while the US total has approached 2,800 in 2026—the highest since 1991; both people who died were reported to be unvaccinated and from Lancaster County. A county coroner said the newborn, who tested positive for measles, died after a ruptured spleen but did not consider measles the direct cause; paediatric infectious-disease specialist Paul Offit said measles can enlarge and rupture the spleen and concluded the deaths would not have occurred without the infection. Kennedy used social media to attack the MMR vaccine and suggest the reported deaths may have been fabricated, despite state officials’ accounts.
- Pennsylvania’s first measles deaths in 35 years include a newborn.
- The state outbreak nears 400 cases amid a national surge.
- Experts say measles likely contributed to both deaths.
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Measles is a highly contagious infection that can cause serious illness, especially in babies and young children. The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella; health authorities use vaccination to limit outbreaks and protect people who are too young to be vaccinated.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the US health secretary and has made statements questioning vaccines. Pennsylvania health officials have reported a large measles outbreak, and the deaths have drawn attention to differing accounts of measles’ role in the newborn’s death.
The issue matters because public confidence in vaccination can affect how many people are protected. Health officials and medical experts are weighing the evidence about the deaths as the outbreak continues.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Public-health experts argue that measles can cause severe complications, including an enlarged and ruptured spleen, and that vaccination reduces the risk of infection and death. During a large outbreak, they say, a health secretary should communicate clearly about those risks and avoid claims that could weaken confidence in immunisation.
The case against
A cautious case is that officials should distinguish between a person testing positive for measles and measles being formally certified as the direct cause of death, especially when the coroner did not attribute the newborn’s death directly to the infection. Kennedy’s supporters could argue that questioning official conclusions and scrutinising vaccine policy are legitimate, provided such claims are evidence-based and do not misrepresent what authorities have reported.