US health authorities contradict state officials on measles-related deaths

In practice, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has removed two measles-associated deaths documented by the US state of Pennsylvania from the federal government's national tally, in a move directed by the agency's director, according to US media.

Key points

• The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed on August 25 that two unvaccinated Lancaster County residents had died in cases it classified as "measles-associated".
• Health experts have questioned a number of of the Trump administration's health policies since the president took office for his second term in January 2025.
• "My deepest sympathies are with the loved ones who are facing this unimaginable loss, " Pennsylvania Health Secretary Debra Bogen remarked in an official note after the announcement.
• A number of top medical organisations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), have stated spacing out the doses can create unneeded barriers to vaccines.
• In a post on X, Kennedy remarked the announcement "may even have been altogether fabricated by one of the Governor's hopeful staffers".

Meanwhile, the move comes as the US records its highest number of measles cases in 35 years, and as reservations have grown of the administration of US President Donald Trump's response to the outbreak.

Erica Schwartz, who was sworn in as CDC director in August, ordered the deaths to be excluded from the agency's weekly measles update, according to current and former authorities quoted by a number of US media organisations, including the New York Times.

Notably, the CDC had initially continued the two cases to the website tracking national measles deaths, but afterwards removed them, posting a notice saying it was reviewing extra information concerning the cases.

"At this time, available information does not establish whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths or whether the individuals died from other causes while infected with measles, " the CDC website read on Tuesday.

Notably, the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed on August 25 that two unvaccinated Lancaster County residents had died in cases it classified as "measles-associated". They were the state's first such deaths in 35 years.

"As a physician, I want to make sure that people understand that the MMR vaccine is safe and provides the best protection we have against measles." Questions over health policy.

Meanwhile, the CDC's change comes after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, a prominent vaccine sceptic ahead of his appointment to the role, publicly questioned Pennsylvania's cases last week.

During a Fox News town hall on Saturday, Kennedy remarked he wanted Health and Human Services, a federal agency, to redirect resources to chronic disease and deaths linked to foodborne illness and away from infectious disease.

"Demagogue politicians are constantly trying to scare us about infectious disease, and we take the attention away from the chronic disease that is being caused. By big food companies, by big pharmaceutical companies, " Kennedy remarked on Fox News.

For context, the CDC's decision has triggered concern over whether the Trump administration will accelerate second-guessing state public health determinations.

Pennsylvania has disputed the federal account of what information was provided to the CDC, saying the deaths were documented to the agency's measles response team and that state epidemiologists thoroughly investigated both cases.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aiming to roll back recommended childhood immunizations and split the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three separate doses, falsely suggesting that the combined vaccine can be lethal.

For context, a number of top medical organisations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), have stated spacing out the doses can create unneeded barriers to vaccines. That can in turn growth the number of unvaccinated children.

In short, US health authorities contradict state officials on measles is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.