Measles, a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease, is making a comeback in the United States due to a dangerous campaign of misinformation and propaganda. With two children dead in Texas, an adult dead in New Mexico, and nearly 900 confirmed cases of measles across 25 states, the country is facing a public health crisis that could have been easily prevented.
A recent poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed alarming beliefs among the American public regarding the measles vaccine. A quarter of the 1,380 people surveyed falsely believe that the measles vaccine causes autism, while 19 percent mistakenly think that the vaccine is more dangerous than the disease itself. These misconceptions have been perpetuated by a mass propaganda campaign led by top health officials and anti-vaxxers, aimed at undermining trust in vaccines and science.
The misinformation campaign has targeted Republican voters, leading to a decline in trust in government sources of health information among this demographic. This deliberate spreading of falsehoods has led to a situation where one in three U.S. adults now believe that the measles vaccine is more dangerous than the disease, a dangerous misconception that could have dire consequences for public health.
The repercussions of this misinformation campaign are already being felt, with measles cases on the rise and the disease threatening to become endemic once again. The manipulation of public opinion for political and personal gain is putting millions of children at risk of contracting a preventable disease, with devastating consequences.
It is imperative that accurate information about vaccines and public health be disseminated to combat the dangerous spread of misinformation. The future of public health in the United States depends on the rejection of propaganda and the promotion of evidence-based science. Only through a collective effort to educate the public and combat misinformation can we prevent the resurgence of preventable diseases like measles. Kennedy, Jr., who after tepidly endorsing the MMR shot in the Texas outbreak (“stoking fury among his supporters,” according to NPR), pivoted to doubting their safety and embraced a Texas doctor who treated kids while reportedly ill with measles. His autism study move seems aimed at scaring parents into not vaccinating their kids by laundering the bogus link back to the syndrome into the news.
None of this is subtle. An April Journal for the Anthropology of North America study, looking at distrust for the government among Evangelical Christians in Oregon, nicely lays out how these kinds of views were transmitted to Republican voters in the COVID pandemic. “[I]ndividuals we met invoked well-worn and pervasive far-right and/or Christian conspiracy theories promulgated by right-wing media,” found the anthropologists.
A pastor counseled people to eschew vaccines out of Christian duty to demonstrate faith in God. A career nurse “read reports of how the COVID-19 vaccine made people sicker than the virus itself,” and stopped endorsing vaccines for kids. To some, “the COVID-19 vaccine symbolized everything wrong and threatening” about “big government” and “big medicine, the study in Oregon found.
Such conspiratorial thinking is now standard stuff in our politics. Ever since President Donald Trump first botched the handling of COVID in 2020, when his administration fumbled the rollout of vaccines, the Republican Party has turned against inoculations. Partly, this turn against science was meant to inoculate Trump from the political cost of raising hopes of the pandemic ending “by Easter” in its first year. The subsequent resurgence of SARS-CoV-2 cases ahead of the 2020 election led to attacks on then NIAID chief Anthony Fauci, as a political scapegoating strategy.
Amanda Montañez; Source: KFF
In 2024 Trump brought RFK, Jr. (whom he once accused of being a “fake” anti-vaxxer) onto his campaign precisely for his anti–medical establishment credentials. Kennedy’s views, steadily peddled on right-wing outlets, attracted measles-vaccine-doubting voters. It was a classic case of “If you can’t beat ‘em on lying about vaccines, give him control of the nation’s public health apparatus.”
The propaganda is effective enough that the parents of one girl who died of measles in Texas told the rabidly anti-vaxx group Children’s Health Defense (which was founded and until recently chaired by RFK, Jr.) that they still opposed vaccinations even after this preventable tragedy. In stomach-turning fashion, the group turned the family’s statements into a propaganda video against vaccines.
For the politicians and the grifters who pump out this dangerous dishonesty, these deaths don’t matter, so long as they get the votes. For everyone else, the deadly spread of measles is the dismal future they now promise our kids.
This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American.” decoding=”async” loading=”lazy” src=”https://static.scientificamerican.com/dam/m/6cced4919af7a82a/original/measles-propaganda_graphic_d1_TEXT.png?m=1745948819.43&w=900″ width=”2917″ height=”6289″ srcset=”https://static.scientificamerican.com/dam/m/6cced4919af7a82a/original/measles-propaganda_graphic_d1_TEXT.png?m=1745948819.43&w=1000 1000w, https://static.scientificamerican.com/dam/m/6cced4919af7a82a/original/measles-propaganda_graphic_d1_TEXT.png?m=1745948819.43&w=1200 1200w, https://static.scientificamerican.com/dam/m/6cced4919af7a82a/original/measles-propaganda_graphic_d1_TEXT.png?m=1745948819.43&w=1350 1350w, https://static.scientificamerican.com/dam/m/6cced4919af7a82a/original/measles-propaganda_graphic_d1_TEXT.png?m=1745948819.43&w=2000 2000w, https://static.scientificamerican.com/dam/m/6cced4919af7a82a/original/measles-propaganda_graphic_d1_TEXT.png?m=1745948819.43&w=600 600w, https://static.scientificamerican.com/dam/m/6cced4919af7a82a/original/measles-propaganda_graphic_d1_TEXT.png?m=1745948819.43&w=750 750w, https://static.scientificamerican.com/dam/m/6cced4919af7a82a/original/measles-propaganda_graphic_d1_TEXT.png?m=1745948819.43&w=900 900w” sizes=”(min-width: 2000px) 2000px, (min-resolution: 3dppx) 50vw, (min-resolution: 2dppx) 75vw, 100vw”> Amanda Montañez; Source: KFF
Why undermine public trust in health recommendations? It’s good politics, Trump and his supporters have found, aimed at driving the country back to the gilded age. Public health, ensuring safe drugs and food, are public goods largely directed by federal agencies. If your goal is dismantling the federal government, making people think those (admittedly far-from-perfect) health agencies are lying about vaccines is a great place to start undoing the progressive era.
The partisan differences are stark, making clear who is getting this message. Only half of self-declared Republicans in the poll know that measles cases are up this year compared with recent years. Nearly three-quarters of Democrats say they know the same. One third of Republicans say it is “definitely” or “probably true” that the measles vaccine, typically given in childhood in a combination with mumps and rubella, has been proven to cause autism, compared with 10 percent of Democrats.
Why pretend there isn’t a political brainwashing experiment going on? The Trump administration’s loudest voice on vaccines is (somehow) HHS chief Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has been at the center of controversy surrounding his stance on vaccines, particularly in light of the recent measles outbreak in Texas. Initially, he tepidly endorsed the MMR shot, which sparked fury among his supporters. However, he quickly pivoted to doubting the safety of vaccines and embraced a Texas doctor who treated children while reportedly ill with measles. This shift in stance, coupled with his promotion of an autism study linking vaccines to the syndrome, seems aimed at scaring parents into not vaccinating their children by perpetuating a bogus link.
This shift in Kennedy’s views is not subtle, and it reflects a broader trend of distrust in vaccines and government among certain groups. A recent study in the Journal for the Anthropology of North America highlighted how these views are transmitted to Republican voters, particularly among Evangelical Christians in Oregon. The study found that individuals were influenced by far-right and Christian conspiracy theories propagated by right-wing media.
Conspiratorial thinking has become increasingly common in politics, particularly since President Donald Trump mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The Republican Party has since turned against vaccines, using anti-science rhetoric to deflect blame and scapegoat public health officials. Trump’s alliance with Kennedy, Jr., a former vaccine skeptic, further fueled anti-vaccine sentiments among his supporters.
The propaganda surrounding vaccines has proven effective, with some parents still opposing vaccinations even after their child tragically died from a preventable disease like measles. Groups like Children’s Health Defense, founded by Kennedy, Jr., have weaponized these tragedies to push their anti-vaccine agenda, regardless of the consequences.
For politicians and grifters who profit from spreading misinformation about vaccines, these deaths may not matter as long as they secure votes. However, for the general public, the spread of preventable diseases like measles poses a serious threat to public health and safety.
In conclusion, the dangerous spread of misinformation about vaccines is a pressing issue that must be addressed to protect the well-being of our children and communities. It is crucial to rely on evidence-based research and trust in the expertise of public health officials to combat the spread of preventable diseases. The world is constantly changing and evolving, and with it, so too are the ways in which we communicate and interact with one another. With the rise of technology and social media, our ability to connect with people from all around the globe has never been easier. However, this increased connectivity has also led to the rise of a new phenomenon known as “cancel culture.”
Cancel culture is a form of online shaming in which individuals or groups are publicly condemned for their words or actions. This can range from problematic tweets to offensive comments made in interviews, and even criminal behavior. Once someone is “canceled,” they often face a barrage of backlash and criticism from the public, which can lead to job loss, social ostracism, and even threats of violence.
While cancel culture can be seen as a way to hold people accountable for their actions, critics argue that it has gone too far and can often result in disproportionate punishment. The speed at which information spreads online means that a person can be “canceled” in a matter of hours, without any opportunity for redemption or growth.
One of the most high-profile examples of cancel culture in recent years is the case of comedian Louis C.K. After multiple women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against him, Louis C.K. was effectively “canceled” by the public and the entertainment industry. His comedy specials were removed from streaming platforms, and he faced a significant backlash from fans and peers alike.
However, some argue that cancel culture can be a force for good, as it encourages accountability and promotes social justice. By holding individuals responsible for their words and actions, cancel culture can help create a more inclusive and respectful society.
Ultimately, the debate around cancel culture is complex and multifaceted. While it can be a powerful tool for social change, it also has the potential to be misused and to unfairly punish individuals. As we continue to navigate the digital landscape, it is important to approach cancel culture with a critical eye and to consider the consequences of our actions before joining in on the online shaming.
