The conflict with Pennsylvania comes as the United States records its highest number of measles cases in decades.
According to US media, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has removed two measles-related deaths reported by Pennsylvania from the federal government’s national tally at the direction of the Center’s director.
The move comes as the number of measles cases in the United States is the highest in 35 years and concerns are mounting over President Donald Trump’s administration’s response to the measles outbreak.
Recommended stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Erica Schwartz, who took over as CDC director in August, ordered deaths removed from the agency’s weekly measles update, according to current and former officials cited by multiple U.S. media organizations, including the New York Times.
The CDC initially added the two cases to its website tracking measles deaths in the country, but later removed them and posted a notice saying it was reviewing additional information about the cases.
The CDC’s website said Tuesday that “currently available information does not establish whether measles caused or contributed to the death or whether the person died of other causes while remaining infected with measles.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced on August 25 that two unvaccinated Lancaster County residents have died from cases classified as “measles-related.” It was the first such death in the state in 35 years.
“Our hearts go out to the loved ones facing this unimaginable loss,” Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Debra Bogen said in a statement following the announcement.
“As a physician, I want people to understand that the MMR vaccine is safe and provides the best protection against measles.”
Questions about health policy
The CDC changes come after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine skeptic, publicly questioned the Pennsylvania case last week before assuming the role.
Kennedy said in a post to
President Kennedy said during a Fox News town hall Saturday that he wants the federal agency Health and Human Services to direct resources away from infectious diseases and toward chronic illnesses and deaths related to foodborne illness.
“Demagogue politicians are always trying to scare us about infectious diseases and distract us from chronic diseases that are being caused by big food companies and big drug companies,” President Kennedy said on Fox News.
The CDC decision has raised concerns that the Trump administration will accelerate second-guessing state public health decisions.
Pennsylvania disputed the federal government’s account of the information provided to the CDC, arguing that the deaths were reported to the agency’s measles task force and that state epidemiologists thoroughly investigated both cases.
Since President Trump took office for a second term in January 2025, health experts have questioned several of the Trump administration’s health policies.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order rescinding recommended childhood immunizations and giving the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine in three doses, falsely suggesting that the combination vaccine could be deadly.
Several top medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), have said spacing out doses could create unnecessary barriers to vaccines. This could further increase the number of unvaccinated children.
