Key facts
- The CDC is excluding two measles deaths reported by Pennsylvania health officials from its national data.
- CDC Director Erica Schwartz ordered a statement to be added to the CDC's website regarding the exclusion.
- The CDC's website initially listed two deaths, then removed them over a weekend.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. publicly questioned the accuracy of the state's death determinations.
- One of the deceased was a newborn who died of a ruptured spleen.
- Outside medical experts believe measles contributed to the deaths.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has taken the unusual step of excluding two measles-associated deaths reported by Pennsylvania health officials from its national data, a decision reportedly spearheaded by new CDC Director Erica Schwartz. The CDC's website initially included the two deaths but later removed them, accompanied by a statement questioning whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths.
This move follows public questioning of the state's determination by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who suggested the deaths may have been "fabricated." State health officials maintain they have provided all necessary data to the CDC. One of the deceased was a newborn who, according to the Lancaster County Coroner, died of a ruptured spleen, though parents and outside medical experts believe measles was a contributing factor.
Details about the second death, a child, are still emerging, with the coroner's office reportedly still determining the cause. Experts like Paul Offit have stated that the patients would not have died were it not for measles and have called for alternative explanations for the newborn's ruptured spleen if not measles-related. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions surrounding vaccine misinformation and the role of health agencies in verifying and reporting such data.