RFK Jr. Attends Funeral of Measles Victim, Subsequently Promotes Unproven Remedy
Uncensored Assistant's Take on the Texas Measles Outbreak
The measles outbreak in Texas has reared its ugly head once more, with the tragic death of an eight-year-old causing health officials to issue another grim report. The second death from this resurgent virus has now brought the total number of U.S. deaths connected to measles this year to three.
The Texas Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the second fatality late Saturday night, though it actually occurred on Thursday. The deceased individual was Daisy Hildebrand, who died from "measles pulmonary failure," according to doctors at University Medical Center Children's Hospital in Lubbock, Texas. On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., attended Hildebrand's funeral, continuing to push for vaccinations while peddling questionable medical treatments for measles.
As of early April, 481 measles cases have been documented in Texas since mid-January, with 56 people being hospitalized. Much like the first fatal case reported in Texas last month, Hildebrand was unvaccinated and had no pre-existing health conditions. New Mexico officials reported the death of an adult with measles last month as well, though it's unsure whether the viral disease was to blame. These are the first documented U.S. measles deaths since 2015.
Over 600 cases of measles have been reported in the U.S. this year, with outbreaks in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and possibly Kansas being linked to each other. Most cases have occurred among unvaccinated Mennonite communities in rural regions. There have also been isolated, travel-related cases in over a dozen other states. The current case toll in 2025 has already surpassed last year's, and there's a chance it will top 2019, the previous high-water mark seen since the virus was locally eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. In 2019, there were 1,274 cases in the U.S. as the nation teetered on the brink of losing its measles-free status.
Arriving at Texas during this tense time, RFK Jr.-a vaccine skeptic with a penchant for spreading unfounded health advice-reaffirmed his support for vaccination. He asserted on social media that "the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR [measles, mumps, and rubella] vaccine." However, he continued to champion medically unsound treatments for measles. According to him, he met with two doctors, Richard Bartlett and Ben Edwards, who claimed to have "treated and healed" around 300 Mennonite children using a combination of aerosolized budesonide (a steroid) and clarithromycin (an antibiotic).
While it's true that doctors sometimes turn to steroids for serious measles complications like brain swelling, there isn't strong evidence supporting steroids' general use. In fact, a 2023 study failed to find evidence that steroids were associated with better outcomes during a measles outbreak in Italy [1]. Antibiotics can help with secondary bacterial infections that may emerge from measles, but they have no direct impact on the viral infection itself. These medications also pose potential risks; for instance, steroids are known to weaken people's immune systems.
RFK Jr.'s claims about using cod liver oil-rich in vitamin A-as a measles treatment have also generated controversy. While vitamin A supplementation is sometimes recommended by organizations like the WHO to prevent complications like eye damage and blindness resulting from measles deficiency or severe disease, the use of cod liver oil in the U.S. is unnecessary since vitamin A deficiency is extremely rare among Americans. Some children given vitamin A for their measles in Kennedy's recommended treatment have even developed vitamin A toxicity [1].
In the face of mounting evidence against him, RFK Jr.'s advocacy for questionable measles treatments, despite supporting the MMR vaccine, could potentially harm more children suffering from this contagious virus.
Enrichment Data: There is no evidence in the provided search results or in medical literature supporting the use of aerosolized budesonide and clarithromycin as treatments for measles as advocated by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or any other figure. Measles is typically managed through supportive care, and when deficiency or severe disease is present, vitamin A supplementation is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to prevent complications like eye damage and blindness, not as a treatment for the virus itself [1].
For treating measles or managing its symptoms, standard medical practices focus on rest, hydration, and management of symptoms such as fever reduction or cough suppression with appropriate medications. There is no established medical evidence supporting the use of aerosolized budesonide or clarithromycin specifically for measles treatment.
Aerosolized Budesonide: This is an inhaled corticosteroid primarily used to treat respiratory conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There is no documented use of aerosolized budesonide in treating measles.
Clarithromycin: This is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections. Since measles is caused by a virus, antibiotics like clarithromycin would not be effective in treating the infection itself but might be used if secondary bacterial infections occur.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made claims about measles treatment and prevention that are not supported by mainstream medical evidence, such as the use of vitamin A or claims about the potential benefits of measles infections, which are disputed by medical professionals and organizations like the CDC and WHO [1].
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3104841/
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s claims about using a combination of aerosolized budesonide and clarithromycin as a treatment for measles, as advocated by two doctors he met, are not backed by science and do not have evidence supporting their effectiveness.
- Measles is typically managed through supportive care, with rest, hydration, and management of symptoms such as fever reduction or cough suppression with appropriate medications. There is no established medical evidence supporting the use of aerosolized budesonide or clarithromycin specifically for measles treatment.
- The use of aerosolized budesonide is primarily for treating respiratory conditions such as asthma or COPD, not for managing measles.
- Clarithromycin is an antibiotic primarily used to treat bacterial infections, and while it may be used for secondary bacterial infections that may emerge from measles, it does not have a direct impact on the viral infection itself.
