In The Politics of Autism, I analyze the myth that vaccines cause autism. This bogus idea can hurt people by allowing diseases to spread. Examples include measles, COVID, flu, and polio. A top antivaxxer is HHS Secretary RFK Jr. He is part of the "Disinformation Dozen." He helped cause a deadly 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa.
As of June 4, 2026, 2,030 confirmed* measles cases were reported in the United States in 2026. Among these, 2,020 measles cases were reported by 40 jurisdictions: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. A total of 10 measles cases were reported among international visitors to the United States.
There have been 30 new outbreaks** reported in 2026, and 93% of confirmed cases (1,890 of 2,030) are outbreak-associated (558 from outbreaks starting in 2026 and 1,332 from outbreaks that started in 2025).
RFK has advocated vitamin A as an alternative treatment for measles.
Bischops AC, Nagorsen M, Madsen E, Majumder MS. Internet Searches for Vitamin A and Related Media Statements During the 2025 US Measles Outbreak. JAMA Netw Open. 2026;9(6):e2615013. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.15013.The US is experiencing its largest measles outbreak since the disease’s elimination in 2000.1 Although vaccination remains the only proven prophylactic, vaccine hesitancy is rising.2 Within this climate of doubt, alternative medicines like vitamin A and cod liver oil have gained attention.3 Vitamin A may be administered under medical supervision to support measles recovery, but it does not prevent measles and can be toxic if dosed incorrectly.3 The same applies to cod liver oil, which contains high levels of vitamin A.4 Between January and March 2025, America’s Poison Centers reported a 38.7% increase in vitamin A exposures.3 This trend may have been influenced by public figures who have increasingly promoted vitamin A to treat measles.4
