**”RFK Jr Supports Use of Controversial Inhaled Steroid Treatment for Measles Patients”**
Kennedy has commended doctors who are administering the asthma medication budesonide to individuals with measles. Amid the measles outbreak in West Texas, familiar anti-vaccine strategies have resurfaced, suggesting alternative treatments for the disease and casting doubt on the safety of vaccines. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently endorsed two specific medications – the steroid budesonide and the antibiotic clarithromycin – even though they have not been proven to be effective treatments for measles. Despite experts asserting that there are no established therapies to expedite measles recovery, Kennedy claimed on X that these medications had played a crucial role in treating approximately 300 children in Texas, with doctors reporting positive outcomes. Kennedy has faced significant criticism from the medical community for disseminating misinformation about the measles vaccine and failing to promote vaccination among parents. He has since acknowledged the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing measles spread and urged people to get vaccinated. Since January, a surge in measles cases has been observed within a predominantly Mennonite community in Gaines County, Texas, where vaccine hesitancy is prevalent. Families in the community have turned to dubious remedies such as budesonide for treatment, often at the recommendation of Texas doctors Dr. Ben Edwards and Dr. Richard Bartlett. Kennedy lauded Edwards and Bartlett as “exceptional healers” who have successfully treated numerous children with budesonide and clarithromycin, sharing a photo of himself with the doctors and three Mennonite families whose children had fallen ill. Tragically, two of the families had recently lost daughters to measles – 6-year-old Kayley Fehr in February and 8-year-old Daisy Hildebrand just last week, both unvaccinated. Edwards, a traditionally trained physician who has transitioned to promoting alternative remedies and prayer, has set up a makeshift clinic in Seminole, providing unproven treatments to children, even reportedly while ill with measles. Edwards has aligned himself with the anti-vaccine movement, featuring prominent figures like Barbara Loe Fisher and Andrew Wakefield on his podcast. In addition to the fatalities in Texas, an adult in New Mexico succumbed to measles in early March, with the cause still being investigated. With measles cases on the rise this year, primarily linked to the Texas outbreak encompassing several neighboring states, public health experts emphasize the critical importance of receiving both doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is 97% effective.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, aerosolized budesonide and clarithromycin are not effective in treating children with measles, as stated by Dr. Adam Ratner, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Susan McLellan, a professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch, emphasized the importance of relying on scientifically proven treatments and cautioned against using unvetted methods on patients.
While there is a desire for hopeful remedies, it is crucial for authorities to communicate clearly based on scientific evidence. The Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson highlighted the efficacy of vaccines in preventing measles, contrasting with unsubstantiated claims made by certain medical professionals.
During the Covid pandemic, some doctors promoted unproven treatments like ivermectin and raised concerns about mRNA vaccines, perpetuating misinformation. In Texas, doctors Edwards and Bartlett have a history of questioning vaccine safety and promoting questionable remedies. They have made false claims about vaccine-related deaths and complications, contrasting with the established safety record of vaccines.
Measles is a highly contagious and potentially life-threatening disease, underscoring the importance of vaccination. Anti-vaccine activists have attempted to attribute recent pediatric deaths to medical malpractice, though these claims lack verification. Medical institutions have refuted these assertions and emphasized the risks of measles for unvaccinated individuals.
Dr. Robert Malone and others have perpetuated misleading narratives about the pediatric deaths, urging caution against misinformation and advocating for evidence-based medical practices.
Due to a medical error, budesonide could have potentially saved a child’s life. Budesonide is commonly used to treat inflammatory diseases. In capsule form, it effectively treats Crohn’s disease, while its inhaled form can alleviate asthma symptoms. In a podcast, it was mentioned that budesonide could help save lives of critically ill Covid patients by reducing the release of inflammatory chemicals from the lung lining. Although trials from the University of Oxford suggested it could shorten recovery times, there is no concrete evidence it can prevent hospitalization or death from Covid.
Dr. Paul Offit cautions against early steroid use for viral infections like measles as they hinder the immune system’s response. Steroids are typically prescribed for late-stage Covid patients with pneumonia when the immune system is overactive. Budesonide, administered through inhalers or nasal sprays, helps alleviate wheezing in asthma patients.
On the other hand, the suggestion that measles patients could benefit from clarithromycin lacks context as antibiotics like clarithromycin target bacteria, not viruses like measles. Severe infections are best treated with intravenous antibiotics to ensure adequate levels reach the bloodstream. Broad-spectrum antibiotics like clarithromycin pose a risk of antibiotic resistance if used indiscriminately.
Public health experts caution against promoting such medications as primary treatments, emphasizing the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing diseases.
