Vaccine misinformation stories

Aug 26, 2026

RFK Jr. posts vaccine misinformation amid Pennsylvania measles deaths

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted vaccine misinformation and sparred with Pennsylvania officials on social media after the state announced two unvaccinated people died from measles-associated causes.

Aug 26, 20263 sources

May 29, 2026

Republican senator Bill Cassidy blames Trump vaccine policy for measles deaths at confirmation hearing

Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican chair of the Senate health committee, blamed the Trump administration's vaccine-skeptical policies for recent measles deaths in Pennsylvania during a confirmation hearing for surgeon general nominee Dr. Nicole Saphier. Cassidy pressed Saphier to state that vaccines do not cause autism and to distance herself from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine positions, which she declined to fully do.

May 29, 20267 sources

Top claims

▪Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted a link on X to The Highwire, a website run by anti-vaccine activist Del Bigtree that contains vaccine misinformation, on August 25, 2026
▪Robert F. Kennedy Jr. used his personal social media account to amplify disputed claims that the Food and Drug Administration knew Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine spread particles to the ovaries
▪Pennsylvania health authorities announced that two unvaccinated people died from measles-associated causes, marking the state's first measles deaths in 35 years

People involved

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Donald Trump

Subtopics

Government and Regulatory Policy2 Health surveillance2 Infectious Disease and Outbreaks2 Measles outbreaks2 Outbreaks and vaccination response2 Vaccine policy & outbreak response2 Public health1 Public health policy1 Senate confirmation hearing1 Trump administration1 Trump administration policy1 US health policy & drug pricing1 Vaccine policy1 Vaccine policy and regulation1 Vaccine safety and skepticism1

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