Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been criticized by political opponents over his alleged anti-vaccination stance

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced sending thousands of vaccine doses to Texas among an initial set of measures in response to a local measles outbreak. The politician has been previously accused by his critics of what they called promotion of 'conspiracy theories' about vaccines and nutrition.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) "supported the Texas Department of Health through technical assistance and vaccines," RFK Jr. wrote in a post on X (formerly, Twitter) over the weekend as he listed the measures the federal government took to help the state authorities to combat the disease. He also said that 2,000 doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine were sent there.

The current outbreak in the southern US state has affected almost 150 people, mostly children. According to the state health authorities, 116 cases involved minors under 18 years of age, with 79 confirmed cases affecting individuals, who did not receive the MMR vaccine and 62 cases in people with unknown vaccination status. Only five of those affected had the shot.

Other measures announced by the secretary involved lab support for better virus tracking and daily communication with the local authorities and coordination of the response efforts. "We will continue to fund Texas' immunization program," RFK Jr. wrote in his post as he called stopping the outbreak "a top priority" for his team.

On Monday, Kennedy Jr. published an op-ed on Fox News, where he continued to defend vaccination as an effective measure against measles. "Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons," he wrote in his piece. RFK Jr. also stated that measles is "a highly contagious respiratory illness with certain health risks, especially to unvaccinated individuals."

He still maintained that it is up to every person to decide whether to get the shot or not. "The decision to vaccinate is a personal one," he wrote in the op-ed, adding that parents play the key role in such decisions, when it comes to children. He also encouraged all the parents to "consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine." 

Protecting public health includes "ensuring that accurate information about vaccine safety and efficacy is disseminated," the health secretary stated.

RFK Jr. has been known as a vocal critic of the Covid-19 response measures recommended by the World Health Organization, including the strict lockdowns and rapid rollout of vaccines. He also founded an anti-vaccine group Children's Health Defense, which gained prominence in the US for questioning the safety and effectiveness of childhood vaccinations and promoting the claim that vaccines are linked to autism.

His statements led US Democrats to question his ability to serve as the US Secretary of Health during his confirmation hearing in the Senate. RFK Jr.'s opponents argued that he supposedly promoted 'conspiracy theories' about vaccines and nutrition. The politician himself denied being opposed to vaccination in general and maintained he advocated for stricter control and safety testing of vaccines