RFK Jr. Faces Senate Criticism Over Measles Vaccine Stance Amid U.S. Outbreak

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has faced significant criticism from lawmakers and public health advocates for his stance on vaccines, particularly regarding the measles vaccine amid a recent outbreak. Kennedy has avoided directly endorsing the measles vaccine, stating that he does not want to give medical advice and claiming that people should not take medical advice from him. Senator Chris Murphy accused Kennedy of lying during Senate testimony by falsely claiming he recommended the measles vaccine, warning that undermining vaccine confidence could lead to preventable child deaths. Representatives like Mark Pocan and Rosa DeLauro criticized Kennedy for spreading dangerous misinformation about vaccines, including questioning the safety of the HPV vaccine and refusing to support the polio vaccine, which has historically saved millions of lives. Despite the ongoing measles outbreak affecting over 1,000 people and causing deaths, Kennedy has described vaccination as a "call to action" but stopped short of clear endorsement. Additionally, Kennedy defended budget cuts at HHS, emphasizing smarter spending over increased funding to address health crises.