A measles outbreak in West Texas has resulted in severe cases of patients who were given high doses of vitamin A supplements, including cod liver oil, to prevent infection. The vitamins were promoted by vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the state’s health secretary, and were also endorsed by a Fox News interview where he claimed “almost miraculous and instantaneous recovery” with these treatments.
As a result, doctors at Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock have treated several unvaccinated children who suffered from liver damage, dry skin, hair loss, seizures, and coma after taking the supplements for weeks. The hospital has seen 320 cases of measles so far, with 40 patients hospitalized and one child dead.
Experts warn that vitamin A can cause liver damage at high doses and is not an effective way to prevent measles. However, two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine are about 97 percent effective in preventing the disease.
Critics of Kennedy’s approach say he has contributed to the outbreak by promoting unproven remedies for patients. Dr. Kevin Griffis resigned from the CDC due to concerns over Kennedy’s handling of the outbreak. The popularity of vitamin A use may have originated from a Fox News interview, where Kennedy claimed that cod liver oil was “the safest application of vitamin A.”
Doctors stress that vitamin A should only be administered under medical supervision and that repeated high doses are dangerous. Experts emphasize that vaccination remains the only proven way to prevent measles infection, which is currently spreading rapidly in several states.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/health/measles-kennedy-vitamin-a.html