RFK Jr Says Vaccine Contains 'Aborted Fetus Debris' [View all]

Source: Newsweek

Published May 01, 2025 at 7:09 AM EDT


Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pushed discredited claims that the MMR vaccine contains "a lot of aborted fetus debris." He made the remarks during a town hall event on Newsnation on Wednesday, saying this "debris" was the reason many religious groups don't get vaccinated.

Why It Matters

The claim comes amid a serious measles outbreak in Texas that has already claimed the lives of two children in a Mennonite community with low vaccination rates. Kennedy Jr., who has long faced criticism over his comments about vaccines, has vowed to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule. Despite this, in March, Kennedy Jr. wrote an op-ed for Fox News, urging parents to "consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine" but he also reiterated his long-held position that vaccination is a personal choice.

What To Know

Kennedy Jr. made the aborted fetus comments after being questioned about his position on vaccines, which some have criticized for being unclear.

He praised the United States' response to its outbreak and then said: "There are populations in our country, like the Mennonites in Texas, who are most afflicted and they have religious objections to the vaccination - because the MMR vaccine contains a lot of aborted fetus debris and DNA particles, so they don't wanna take it." "So we oughta be able to take care of those populations when they get sick," he said, "and that's something that the CDC has not done."

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/rfk-jr-robert-f-kennedy-jr-vaccine-aborted-fetus-2066618