Media panic over Measles

Another Distraction From Real Threats to Kids’ Health and Safety

From The Children’s Health Defence

From

Summary

Media Panic Over Measles Distracts From Real Threats to Kids’ Health and Safety

Measles outbreaks in several states, including Texas and New Mexico, along with one reported death in Texas, have sparked widespread media coverage warning of an impending public health crisis. Reports suggest this could pressure more states to eliminate religious exemptions from vaccine mandates. Yet, doctors and scientists interviewed by The Defender argue that this focus overshadows the true dangers facing children today.

In Texas, health authorities announced on Wednesday the death of a child who tested positive for measles, prompting a wave of media stories attributing the outbreaks to declining vaccination rates. Additional cases have been reported, including one in Kentucky and two in New Jersey, amplifying fears of a nationwide epidemic. Outlets like Vox, The Washington Post, and The New York Times have claimed these outbreaks signal a looming "public health crisis," a narrative complicated by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s role as secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Kennedy, known for questioning vaccine safety, has faced criticism for suggesting that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is monitoring the situation and noting that measles outbreaks occur annually.

However, some medical experts caution against the alarmist tone. Dr. Lawrence Palevsky, a paediatrician, called the child’s death a tragedy but emphasised the lack of clarity around the case. He noted there’s insufficient information about whether the child had underlying conditions, what diagnostic criteria were used, or what hospital treatments might have contributed to the outcome. "More information is needed," Palevsky said.

Leana Wen, writing in The Washington Post, argued that measles isn’t taken seriously enough because it’s rarely seen, pointing to its high hospitalisation rates and potential for severe complications, including immune system damage and death. In contrast, a 2018 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) publication describes measles as a respiratory illness marked by fever, cold-like symptoms, pink eye, and a rash of small, sometimes itchy red bumps. While complications like ear infections, diarrhoea, croup, or bronchopneumonia can occur—and bronchopneumonia can be serious—the AAP notes these are rare in developed nations like the U.S. The disease is typically "self-limiting," resolving on its own. By 1962, before the measles vaccine debuted, the CDC reported a mortality rate of 0.2 per 1,000 cases and a hospitalisation rate of 11.5 per 1,000, with deaths having dropped 98% since 1900 due to improved public health.

Karl Jablonowski, a senior scientist at Children’s Health Defense (CHD), highlighted this historical context: "The 1950s Vital Statistics report states, ‘measles are poorly reported because a large proportion of the cases are never seen by a physician.’" At that time, 600,000 annual cases were typical, yet it was considered a normal part of childhood. Dr. Liz Mumper, another paediatrician, added that measles deaths are "very uncommon" in countries with clean water and sanitation. The CDC cites a U.S. death rate of 1 to 3 per 1,000 cases, but prior to the Texas case, the last measles death was in 2016 (in an immunocompromised woman), and the last child death was in 2003. Hospitalisations, often for isolation to curb spread, typically involve hydration and fever management, with Mumper noting effective treatments like high-dose vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin C—options rarely promoted by mainstream medicine.

Is the Measles Vaccine Effective?

Media narratives largely pin the outbreaks on unvaccinated children, advocating for a 95% vaccination rate through mass campaigns. CBS News even suggested boosters for those unsure of their status, calling them "safe and effective." But Mumper countered that outbreaks occur even in highly vaccinated populations, like college students, as vaccine immunity wanes over time.

The two U.S.-available measles vaccines—Merck’s MMRII and GSK’s Priorix—carry documented risks. Dr. Paul Thomas, co-author of "Vax Facts," noted neither was tested against a true placebo; MMRII used its own components minus the virus, while Priorix was compared to MMRII. Merck’s MMRII label lists adverse reactions from atypical measles to pancreatitis, thrombocytopenia, pneumonia, encephalitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, seizures, and more. Priorix’s trials showed similar risks, with high rates of serious events and chronic disease onset in both test groups.

"To any sane mind, that means both are dangerous," Thomas said.

Since 1990, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) has logged 115,849 adverse events tied to measles vaccines, including 572 deaths—though underreporting is a known issue, with studies suggesting less than 1% of incidents are captured. Thousands of parents have also filed claims with the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) linking MMR to autism, claims denied en masse despite supporting research. An ongoing lawsuit alleges the U.S. Department of Justice hid evidence of this link, a case still pending in federal court.

The Vaccine ‘Propaganda Playbook’

Measles outbreaks occur yearly, but only some gain traction. CHD CEO Mary Holland described a recurring "propaganda playbook" where outbreaks spark fear-driven policy shifts, like California’s 2015 SB 277, which ended personal belief exemptions after a Disneyland outbreak, or New York’s 2019 law following cases in Brooklyn and Rockland Counties. Hawaii is now considering similar measures. "This playbook is effective not because of a real threat, but due to media hype and government fearmongering," Holland said.

What’s Really Killing Children Today? It’s Not Measles.

Jablonowski stressed that measles has never been a top killer. In 2023, leading causes of death for non-infant children were firearm assault (2.2 per 100,000), motor-vehicle accidents (1.3 per 100,000), and self-harm or overdose, far outpacing measles. Chronic conditions like anxiety, depression, asthma, autism, ADHD, and obesity—linked to toxins in pesticides, toxic foods, plastics, vaccines, water fluoridation, and electromagnetic radiation—are rising threats. "Measles can lead to complications like pneumonia," Jablonowski said, "but diseases like anxiety don’t have a ‘take it easy’ fix."

Holland echoed this: "Measles is not a grave threat to America’s children. Healthy kids resolve it easily with established protocols. The real risks are chronic conditions—allergies, asthma, autism, ADHD. The media should focus there."

Ian Brighthope

“Infectious diseases mostly occur in nutritionally unhealthy individuals.”