What happened
As a measles outbreak in West Texas and New Mexico continues to spread, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. publicly "outlined a strategy for containing" the outbreak that "strayed far from mainstream science, relying heavily on fringe theories about prevention and treatments," The New York Times said Monday.
Who said what
The Texas outbreak, centered in an under-vaccinated Mennonite community in Gaines County, has infected at least 230 people in the state and a bordering county in New Mexico, and killed two unvaccinated patients. But "even a measles outbreak and death isn't enough to drive many residents into free vaccine clinics," The Wall Street Journal said. Local doctors are "fighting an uphill battle to convince some parents that vitamin A — touted by vaccine critics as effective against the highly contagious virus — will not protect their children," Reuters said. Tina Siemens, director of a museum in Gaines County, told the Journal that "the community loves" RFK Jr.
In an interview with Fox News last week, the Times said, Kennedy "cheered on questionable treatments like cod liver oil," which he called "the safest application of vitamin A," while issuing a "muffled call for vaccinations in the affected community," if people choose. There's "no way" the outbreak will convince vaccine skeptics to get their kids vaccinated, Gaines County physician Dr. Wendel Parkey told the Journal. "Before Covid I could convince some. Now it's like, forget it."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
The National Institutes of Health, part of Kennedy's HHS, Monday canceled "dozens of grants for research on why some people are reluctant to be vaccinated and how to increase acceptance of vaccines," the Post said.
-
Rothermere’s Telegraph takeover: ‘a right-leaning media powerhouse’Talking Point Deal gives Daily Mail and General Trust more than 50% of circulation in the UK newspaper market
-
The US-Saudi relationship: too big to fail?Talking Point With the Saudis investing $1 trillion into the US, and Trump granting them ‘major non-Nato ally’ status, for now the two countries need each other
-
Sudoku medium: November 30, 2025The daily medium sudoku puzzle from The Week
-
Vaccine critic quietly named CDC’s No. 2 officialSpeed Read Dr. Ralph Abraham joins another prominent vaccine critic, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
-
This flu season could be worse than usualIn the spotlight A new subvariant is infecting several countries
-
More adults are dying before the age of 65Under the radar The phenomenon is more pronounced in Black and low-income populations
-
Ultra-processed AmericaFeature Highly processed foods make up most of our diet. Is that so bad?
-
Scientists have developed a broad-spectrum snake bite antivenomUnder the radar It works on some of the most dangerous species
-
Peanut allergies have plummeted in childrenUnder the radar Early introduction could be an effective prevention method
-
How medical imposters are ruining health studiesUnder the Radar Automated bots and ‘lying’ individuals ‘threaten’ patient safety and integrity of research
-
Doctors sound the alarm about insurance company ‘downcoding’The Explainer ‘It’s blatantly disrespectful,’ one doctor said
