WASHINGTON—As multiple U.S. states, including Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, grapple with a growing measles outbreak, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has sparked controversy by suggesting that “natural immunity” from contracting the disease is more effective than the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
During an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on March 11, the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary downplayed the long-term effectiveness of the MMR vaccine and appeared to endorse infection-based immunity. “When you and I were kids, everybody got measles, and measles gave you lifetime protection against measles infection. The vaccine doesn’t do that,” Kennedy said, as reported by CNN.
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While acknowledging that the vaccine provides lifelong immunity for some, he claimed that it “wanes” for many individuals. “The vaccine is effective for some people for life, but for many people, it wanes,” Kennedy stated. “Some years, we have hundreds of these outbreaks. And, you know, part of that is that there are people who don’t vaccinate, but also the vaccine itself wanes.
The vaccine wanes 4.5% per year.” The 71-year-old also questioned the effectiveness of maternal immunity, arguing that vaccinated mothers do not provide the same level of protection to their infants as those who previously contracted measles.
“It used to be that very young kids were protected by breast milk,” Kennedy claimed. “Women who get vaccinated do not provide that level of immunity that the natural measles infection did. So you’re now seeing measles hit very, very young kids and hitting older people within whom the vaccine has waned,” he told The Daily Beast.
Kennedy further escalated his criticism by alleging that the MMR vaccine poses serious health risks, including fatal consequences. “There are adverse events from the vaccine. It does cause deaths every year,” he claimed. “It causes all the illnesses that measles itself causes, like encephalitis and blindness, etc., so people ought to be able to make that choice for themselves.”
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Kennedy’s statements have drawn backlash from medical experts, who stress that the MMR vaccine remains the most effective protection against measles. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the vaccine is 97% effective after two doses and has played a crucial role in drastically reducing measles-related deaths.
With cases on the rise, health officials continue to urge vaccinations to prevent further outbreaks and protect vulnerable populations from the highly contagious disease.
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