In the midst of a growing measles outbreak in Texas, a team from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has arrived to assist local health authorities. However, the situation has been further complicated by the recent statements and actions of US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has endorsed unconventional treatments and downplayed the importance of vaccination. This stance has raised concerns among public health experts, who argue that it undermines the proven effectiveness of the measles vaccine and distracts from evidence-based public health strategies.

Kennedy has long been an advocate for alternative treatments, and in a recent interview with Fox News, he endorsed a regimen that includes a steroid (budesonide), an antibiotic (clarithromycin), and cod liver oil, which is rich in vitamin A. He praised two West Texas doctors, including Dr. Richard Bartlett, who he claimed had successfully treated most of the patients in the current outbreak. According to Kennedy, these doctors had seen "almost miraculous and instantaneous recovery" in their patients. However, this endorsement has been met with skepticism and alarm by the medical community.

One of the doctors Kennedy praised, Dr. Richard Bartlett, has a history of disciplinary action from the Texas Medical Board. In 2003, Bartlett was disciplined for the "unusual use of risk-filled medications," including the inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics and steroids. The medical board found that Bartlett had misdiagnosed and mismanaged the care of several patients, ordering unnecessary tests and treatments without proper documentation of risk versus benefit. Despite this history, Bartlett has continued to promote unconventional treatments, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he claimed to have successfully treated patients with a combination of budesonide, clarithromycin, and aspirin. Independent fact-checkers have found these claims to be unsupported by scientific evidence.

Kennedy's endorsement of these treatments and his call for clinical trials on the steroid-antibiotic-vitamin A regimen have added to the confusion surrounding the outbreak. While he acknowledged the importance of vaccination, he framed it as a personal choice, emphasizing the need for alternative treatments for those who choose not to vaccinate. This stance has been criticized by medical experts, who argue that it undermines the clear and consistent message that vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles.

Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children's Hospital, emphasized that there is no evidence to support the use of vitamin A as a prophylaxis against measles. "There's not evidence that vitamin A has any preventative benefits," he said, noting that high doses can even be toxic. The CDC and infectious disease experts recommend two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is 97% effective at preventing measles. When used widely, the vaccine can eliminate the spread of the virus within a community.

Kennedy's statements have also raised concerns about the potential misuse of antibiotics and steroids in treating measles. Antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections like measles and can lead to antibiotic resistance when used unnecessarily. Steroids, while sometimes used in severe cases of measles-related brain swelling, can be harmful in milder cases because they suppress the immune system, which is crucial for fighting off the virus.

Local health officials and medical experts have expressed frustration with Kennedy's approach. Dr. Leslie Motheral, a pediatrician in Lubbock, Texas, where the outbreak is growing, criticized Kennedy's suggestion that malnutrition was a factor in the outbreak. "Our children are actually very well nourished," she said. "Measles can be detrimental whether you have underlying medical problems or you are healthy. It's the kind of virus that doesn't really discriminate."

Admiral Dr. Brett Giroir, a pediatrician and former US assistant secretary for health, also weighed in on the issue. In a post on X, he thanked Kennedy for emphasizing the importance of the measles vaccine but warned against relying on vitamin A as a substitute. "I have both treated and buried children with measles," he wrote, highlighting the severity of the disease and the importance of vaccination.

Kennedy's emphasis on alternative treatments and his downplaying of the role of vaccines have been described as "mind-blowing" by public health experts. Dr. William Moss, a pediatrician and infectious disease expert at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, expressed concern that Kennedy's statements were muddling the message during a critical time. "It's really disheartening to see that," he said, noting that Kennedy's approach could lead to further confusion and hesitation among the public.

Kennedy's statements have also extended beyond measles, with misstatements about other infectious diseases like bird flu. He suggested that bird flu has been around for 100 years and that it is not a significant threat to humans, despite evidence to the contrary. Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, criticized Kennedy's lack of understanding of the potential threat posed by these viruses. "We have to take all of them very seriously as a potential cause of the next influenza pandemic," he said.

Kennedy's broader narrative about health and disease has also been called into question. He has suggested that underlying chronic diseases, rather than infectious agents, are the primary cause of severe illness and death. While it is true that people with underlying health conditions are more vulnerable to severe outcomes from infectious diseases, this does not mean that healthy individuals are immune. Measles, for example, can make even healthy children very sick and can lead to serious complications and death.

The ongoing measles outbreak in Texas highlights the critical importance of vaccination as the most effective means of preventing the spread of the virus. The endorsement of unconventional treatments by high-ranking officials like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. undermines public health efforts and distracts from evidence-based strategies. Medical experts and public health officials must continue to emphasize the proven effectiveness of the MMR vaccine and the dangers of relying on unproven treatments. As Dr. Carlos del Rio, an infectious disease expert at Emory University, emphasized, "I really want to plead to mothers to vaccinate their kids. That is a highly effective strategy. In this country, in 2025, we should not see measles." The fight against measles and other infectious diseases requires clear, consistent messaging and a commitment to evidence-based public health practices.