RFK Jr. Shocks Nation with Claims About Measles Vaccine and Autism in Primetime Interview

• READ MORE: CDC to Investigate Possible Connection Between Vaccines and Autism in Major Shift

Robert F Kennedy Jr once more ignited anger with his remarks regarding measles vaccinations and autism—but this time, it wasn’t for the typical reasons his detractors expected.

The HHS Secretary faced intense questioning on Chris Cuomo's program on NewsNation regarding his part in undermining public confidence in the measles vaccine, which has led to a resurgence of the virus.

After noting that Canada Kennedy Jr.'s measles tally remains higher at 1,069 cases; he then made an elegant shift towards a distinct issue: autism.

“We've had four measles-related fatalities in this nation over the past two decades,” RFK Jr exclaimed passionately.

"We see around 100,000 new autism cases each year...This statistic deserves prominent coverage in the news," Kennedy stated to a group of reporters alongside Cuomo during an event for their supporters.

He commented, "As a child, there used to be around 2 million annual measles cases, but they never made news. Additionally, back then, there were 400 fatalities."

'We experienced fatalities ranging from 1 in 1,200 to 1 in 10,000. Many children today suffer from long-term illnesses. Yet these cases rarely get attention in the press. The media seems solely interested in reporting on measles.'

Currently, the US is experiencing expanding measles outbreaks in 30 different states, affecting 884 individuals, with approximately 97% of those cases occurring among non-vaccinated persons. Around 11% of infected patients have required hospitalization, and tragically, three deaths have occurred, including two young girls—the first such fatalities in ten years.

As Kennedy was questioned regarding vaccine reluctance and the issue of measles, his fervor grew noticeably stronger. His vocal pitch escalated sharply, accompanied by more forceful hand movements, choosing rather to discuss long-term illnesses in general terms.

His pleas for increased focus on escalating diabetes rates among children received a weak round of applause.

Kennedy has formerly put forward the discredited assertion that rising rates of Autism spectrum disorders have been associated with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination.

Physicians attribute the rising numbers to improved screening methods, increased public consciousness, and adjustments in how diagnoses are categorized.

'By 2035, we will be allocating one million dollars annually for autism,' RFK stated. 'In 1970, autism affected 1 out of every 10,000 Americans. Currently, it impacts 1 out of every 31.'

When it comes to autism, America stands out as an exception among similar countries, reporting significantly higher prevalence rates.

In the UK, around one in 57 children has been diagnosed with autism. In Canada, the incidence is approximately one in 50 In Japan, it's approximately one in 55 even though Australia's rate is somewhat higher at one in 40 .

This occurs as Texas faces its biggest measles outbreak since 2000, with 663 individuals—primarily young children—affected.

In 2019, more instances were documented; however, authorities think these incidents stemmed from several outbreaks triggered by repeated importations of the virus from foreign countries.

Two young girls, ages 6 and 8, have likewise succumbed to the illness.

The third verified measles-related fatality in the US for this year occurred in an unvaccinated adult from New Mexico.

Kennedy stated: “As a child, we used to have around 2 million measles cases annually, but they never made news. Back then, there were 400 fatalities—approximately one death for every 1,200 instances, or roughly one in 10,000.”

Kennedy was around 14 years old at the time the MMR vaccine was introduced.

Up until that point, measles was seen as an inevitable hardship during childhood, one that could potentially lead to death but didn’t often make major news headlines.

Nevertheless, once the vaccine was made accessible to the public, annual fatalities dropped sharply from around 400 to 500 cases each year down to virtually none.

As a result, measles was declared eradicated in 2000 – a classification indicating that the disease had not spread for at least twelve months.

Instances would still occur from time to time, but were nearly always associated with someone who had traveled abroad.

Most measles outbreaks – around 90 percent – happen in areas where little to no one has been vaccinated.

Dr Peter Hotez, the nation’s preeminent infectious disease expert and vaccine developer at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told Stat :' My worry is that this might turn into our new standard.'

Dr. Peter Marks, who previously served as a leading vaccine regulator at the FDA, stated: "If we do not significantly alter our approach, drastically modify our strategy, it will become an issue. This is exactly how measles operates."

Health experts assert that the most effective method to avoid serious complications from measles, such as encephalitis and fatality, is through vaccination.

Currently, there isn't a standardized therapy or remedy for measles, which can be fatal in one out of every thousand cases. Concurrently, no confirmed fatalities linked to the MMR vaccine have been reported among healthy individuals who aren’t immunocompromised.

In a 2005 piece for Rolling Stone that has now been pulled From the publication's website, Kennedy contended that the preservative thimerosal—a mercury-containing substance used in vaccines—was responsible for a surge in autism cases, speech delays, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among kids in America.

Four years after the U.S. removed thimerosal from childhood vaccines, autism rates kept rising.

Moreover, over 100 scientific studies have not found any proof that exposure to this preservative leads to autism. RFK Jr., however, has described autism recently as an extremely debilitating condition that hinders individuals from forming relationships, securing employment, and contributing financially through taxes.

Approximately one out of every 36 children falls within the autism spectrum, covering mild conditions characterized by social challenges and limited interests all the way to more severe instances where an individual may have minimal speech capabilities or exhibit self-injurious behaviors.

During the 1970s, an autism diagnosis typically applied only to children who exhibited severe impairment, remained non-verbal, suffered from physical disabilities, and generally could not manage their own self-care.

The diagnosis has since been broadened to encompass a wide range of subtypes, including individuals capable of functioning autonomously within societal structures.

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