RFK Jr. cite the vaccine against measles against the background of an aggravation outbreak

RObert F. Kennedy Jr., the new head of the US Health and Human Services (HHS), had long question the safety of vaccines– Particular for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). But in his new The opinion piece about the ongoing measles outbreak published on March 2 in Fox NewsKennedy wrote that vaccines “not only protect individual children against measles, but also contribute to the immunity of the community, protecting those who are not able to be vaccinated for medical reasons.”

Kennedy’s recognition of the value of the measles comes as the outbreak that started in Texas continues to grow. So far, almost 150 cases and a death – the first fatality of the US due to the disease in more than 10 years – have been confirmed. It is the largest US measles outbreak in decades.

When Kennedy had previously discussed the outbreak at a cabinet session last week, Did not mention the vaccination.

However, in the song Fox, Kennedy also wrote about the importance of a good diet in protecting people against measles – a factor that experts say may not be very relevant to Americans. “Good nutrition remains the best defense against the most chronic and infectious diseases,” he wrote. He also presented vitamin A for people with measles. On February 27 American centers for disease control and preventionwhich HHS supervises, has updated the guidance to say that, although there is no antiviral treatment for measles, “supporting care, including vitamin A administration under the leadership of a doctor, can be adequate.”

Here are experts about Kennedy’s first major public communication in his new role in the leadership of the top US health agency.

A (qualified) approval of vaccination

Kennedy recognizes what public health experts have long kept: that the best way to control measles is to vaccinate the public and to provide immunity to the virus. Of the 146 cases reported so far, state health officials say that 79 people have not been vaccinated against the MMR.

But, while recognizing the importance of vaccination at the population level to achieve protection at the level of the whole community, he also argues that “all parents should consult with medical service providers to understand their options to obtain the MMR vaccine. The decision to vaccine is a personal one. ”

Unfortunately, the immunity of herds does not work this way, say experts in public health. Protection at the community level-otherwise known as the immunity of herds-is not possible unless 90% of people are immunized. Experts agree that balancing the personal choice and the scientific reality of the immunity of the effective is essential for preserving the outbreaks under control.

“The problem of making health decisions, such as vaccination at the individual level, is that viruses do not see us as individuals,” says Ben Neuman, professor of biology at Texas A & M University. “(They) see humanity as a group. And once the virus enters into one of us, the chances are greater than reaching another person.” Neuman describes vaccination against diseases such as measles as “practically a moral responsibility to live in a modern democracy. The treatment (the decision to be vaccinated) as an individual freedom is essentially irresponsible, in a public-health sense ”.

“It is important that experts in the field of public health that we do everything we can to convey to the population in general why it is so important that we continue to have this common obligation for the other,” says Dr. Daniel Kurtizkes, the head of the Infectious Diseases in Brigham and the Women’s Hospital. “Yes, surely, individual freedom is an important American value, but it must be put in context: we have no right to do everything we could do. We have a certain obligation to do certain things that otherwise we do not want to do because it protects other people. “

A disturbing accent on vitamin A and diet

While experts with infectious disease are satisfied with the fact that Kennedy recognizes the effectiveness of vaccines and the importance of immunity, they are concerned about its emphasis on vitamin A. “Vitamin A is not a specific treatment for measles,” says Kuitzkes.

In certain parts of the world where children cannot receive sufficient vitamin A in their diet, deficiency can increase the risk of more severe diseases and complications due to measles. But, says Dr. Tina Tan, professor of pediatrics at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University and president of the Society of Infectious Diseases in America, this does not mean that vitamin A is a reserve for vaccination. “I do not want people to read about it to think:” I don’t have to vaccinate, I will only receive vitamin A. “It doesn’t work that way. “

studied Supporting the benefits of vitamin A for people with measles come mainly from the developing world, where people do not get enough vitamin in their diet. Deficiency can lead to weaker immune responses, as well as other health problems, such as delayed blindness and growth. These studies show that supplementation with vitamin A in people who are deficient can lead to milder infections with diseases such as measles.

But there is little evidence that it can make a significant difference in people who already have healthy levels of vitamin, as is the case in the US “in a country like the US, where vitamin A deficiency is extraordinarily rare, it would be surprising if supplementation produces any clinically measurable benefit,” says Korutzkes. “It is certainly not an alternative to measles vaccination.”

Vitamin supplementation can cause serious health problems if not done correctly, says Kuitzkes. Too much vitamin A can lead to toxic effects of hypervitaminosis A, which causes nausea, joint pain, bone fractures and liver injury, among other symptoms. The state was described In the natives who have consumed polar bear fogs, which have high concentrations of vitamin A.

Tan says some US doctors provide vitamin measles, but only if I think the patient can be deficient. “I saw a number of children during the measles outbreak in the immigrant centers here, in Chicago, and there is no way to know in advance what are the levels of vitamin A in these children, so I only gave them supplements,” she says. But she and Kuitzkes say it’s a mistake to self-trace with off-the-raft vitamins. Say these is probably a loss of money and time; It will probably not do much to alleviate the infection and can be toxic if used in excessive quantities.

Kennedy’s message does not clarify what additional vitamin A groups could be the most useful or adequate: only “studies have found that vitamin A can dramatically reduce measles mortality.” He continues to discuss the importance of good nutrition as “the best defense against most chronic and infectious diseases.”

While adequate nutrition is essential for establishing a strong foundation for combating any disease, it will not make you invincible for viruses and pathogens. “The only way to protect yourself against measles is to vaccinate,” says Tan. “The best preventive method is to prevent someone from getting the disease first, vaccinating.”