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RFK Jr.’s ‘Medical Freedom’ Comes With a Body Count
The Bulwark • • health
Key Points:
- Several children at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), including those in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), were exposed to measles on September 11 when an infected individual spent hours in common areas and vulnerable patient zones.
- The exposure is particularly dangerous because NICU patients, such as premature infants and newborns with serious health conditions, have underdeveloped immune systems and may lack maternal antibodies against measles.
- The resurgence of measles, a disease once nearly eradicated in the U.S., is linked to declining vaccination rates, partly attributed to misinformation spread by figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has undermined public confidence in vaccines.
- Philadelphia health officials confirmed that the measles threat at CHOP likely originated from an unvaccinated person, highlighting ongoing challenges in controlling vaccine-preventable diseases in healthcare settings.
