Former US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams has criticized Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr for promoting vaccine skepticism during a current measles outbreak on the Texas-New Mexico border.
In an op-ed on CNN, Dr. Adams stated that Mr. Kennedy’s claims show how quickly measles can spread in an unvaccinated population. The US Surgeon General emphasized the importance of herd immunity, which relies on high vaccination rates to protect vulnerable populations.
Other infectious disease specialists have also expressed concerns about vaccine skepticism under Mr. Kennedy’s leadership. Dr. Paul Offit from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia noted that Americans may have forgotten the severity of measles due to its elimination status in 2000.
Dr. Adams specifically targeted Mr. Kennedy, criticizing his statement that the outbreak was “not unusual” and highlighting his nonprofit organization’s promotion of vaccine mistrust and misinformation. The Surgeon General argued that Mr. Kennedy must take responsibility for his actions, acknowledging mistakes and correcting course to address future outbreaks.
Source: https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-former-surgeon-general-blasts-rfk-jr-for-fostering-vaccine-skepticism