Overview

• The U.S. has recorded over 1,000 measles cases in 2025, marking the worst outbreak in decades and raising concerns about declining vaccination rates.
• Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made misleading claims about the MMR vaccine, falsely stating it contains millions of particles from aborted fetal tissue.
• Experts have debunked RFK Jr.'s assertions, clarifying that the vaccine contains no intact fetal cells and that trace DNA fragments are non-functional and regulated for safety.
• Kennedy has also called for more compassion toward individuals refusing vaccines on moral grounds, framing the issue as one of personal freedom and religious persecution.
• Public health officials warn that measles requires at least 95% immunization coverage to prevent outbreaks, emphasizing the urgency of countering vaccine misinformation.