U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Sunday expressed his “deep concern” about the Texas measles outbreak and cautioned that parents should consult with health-care providers “to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine” for their children.
Kennedy outlined in an opinion piece on Fox News the outbreak represents a “call to action for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to public health.”
He called for a considered response on vaccines and their availability from all concerned based solely on science:
As healthcare providers, community leaders, and policymakers, we have a shared responsibility to protect public health. This includes ensuring that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated. We must engage with communities to understand their concerns, provide culturally competent education, and make vaccines readily accessible for all those who want them.
It is also our responsibility to provide up-to-date guidance on available therapeutic medications. While there is no approved antiviral for those who may be infected, CDC has recently updated their recommendation supporting administration of vitamin A under the supervision of a physician for those with mild, moderate, and severe infection. Studies have found that vitamin A can dramatically reduce measles mortality.
Parents play a pivotal role in safeguarding their children’s health. All parents should consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine. The decision to vaccinate is a personal one. Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons.
Kennedy noted the Texas outbreak has escalated rapidly, with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reporting 146 confirmed cases since late January 2025, primarily in the South Plains region.
This outbreak has claimed the life of a school-aged child, the first measles-related fatality in the United States in over a decade.
Kennedy has previously addressed those who claim he is “anti-vaccine” and more.
WATCH — Protester Disrupts RFK Jr. Confirmation Hearing:
As Breitbart News reported, Kennedy said in January that he is simply “pro-safety.”
“I worked for years to raise awareness about the mercury and toxic chemicals in fish, and nobody called me anti-fish. And I believe that my that vaccines play a critical role in healthcare. All of my kids are vaccinated. I’ve written many books on vaccines. My first book in 2014, a first line of it is, I am not anti-vaccine, and the last line is, I am not anti-vaccine,” he said, explaining that he is not the “enemy of food producers,” either, placing an emphasis on the importance of American farms.
“American farms are the bedrock of our culture, of our politics, of our national security. I was a kid, and I spent my summer working on ranches. I went to work with our farmers. I want to work with our farmers and food producers. Remove burdens regulations and unleash American ingenuity. MAHA simply cannot succeed without a partnership, a full partnership of American farmers,” he continued.
Ultimately, Kennedy acknowledged he has “often disturbed the status quo by asking uncomfortable questions.”
