--- title: "In the Face of a Measles Outbreak, Our Dingbat Health Secretary Is Recommending Cod Liver Oil" description: "For the first time in decades, measles cases are on the rise in the United States — and our brainwormed health czar, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is hawking nutritional supplements. In an interview with Fox News, the alleged dog-eater who now helms the Department of Health and Human Services boasted that doctors have already seen \"very, very good results\" when giving cod liver oil — yes, seriously — to people who've fallen ill with the mega-contagious disease that had been all but eradicated. Though Kennedy admitted in the interview that vaccination against measles and other illnesses \"do prevent infection,\" the health […]" date: "2025-03-06" modified: "2025-03-06" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/rfk-jr-cod-liver-oil-measles" categories: - "Health & Medicine" tags: - "donald trump" - "measles" - "rfk jr" - "vaccines" --- # In the Face of a Measles Outbreak, Our Dingbat Health Secretary Is Recommending Cod Liver Oil ![]() *\Image: CBS / Paramount / Futurism\* For the [first time in decades](), measles cases are on the rise in the United States — and our [brainwormed health czar](), Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is hawking vintage nutritional supplements. In an [interview with *Fox News*](), the [alleged dog-eater]() who now helms the Department of Health and Human Services boasted that doctors have already seen "very, very good results" when giving cod liver oil — yes, seriously — to people who've fallen ill with the mega-contagious disease that had been all but eradicated. For those lucky enough to never have been given a spoon or capsule full of cod liver oil, its name should betray its origins. Extracted from the livers of Atlantic cod, this [nutritional supplement]() contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and is, supposedly, chock-full of vitamins that promote eye health and reduce inflammation. While supplements are all fine and good, they're not supposed to be used [*instead of*]() pharmaceutical medicines or vaccines — but to "[skeptics]()" like Kennedy and [his ilk](), they're preferable. Though Kennedy admitted in the interview that vaccination against measles and other illnesses "do prevent infection," the health secretary also bragged that he ordered doses of vitamin A to be shipped to [Gaines County,]() the heart of the West Texas outbreak that has claimed the life of one unvaccinated child, led to [159 new cases]() since January, and [spread to eight other states]() Notably, those comments were aired just days after the prominent anti-vaxxer [did a seeming about-face]() in a [*Fox News* op-ed]() where he urged people to get vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella — MMR, collectively — to stymie the outbreak's spread. Now, though, it appears he's back on his nonsense. "We’re going to be honest with the American people for the first time in history about what actually — about all of the tests and all of the studies, about what we know, what we don’t know," Kennedy said in his latest *Fox* interview, referencing vaccines. Ironically, the [purported former drug dealer]() also claimed that his asinine approach to established medical science is "going to anger some people who want an ideological approach to public health." Though experts are [already pushing back]() in the media against RFK Jr.'s [dangerous anti-vax rhetoric](), people in the West Texas community where this measles outbreak started are, as the [*Washington Post* reports](), rushing to purchase that foul-tasting syrup. "They’ll do cod liver oil because it’s high in vitamin A and D naturally, food-based," explained Nancy Ginter, the owner of a health food store in the Texas town where the outbreak has disproportionately affected the religious Mennonite community. "Some people come in before they break out \[with measles\] because they’re trying to just get their kids immune system to go up so they don’t get a secondary infection." This is, seemingly, Donald Trump's America circa 2025 — though thankfully, the [vast majority of us]() *have* been vaccinated against MMR. **More on Trump science:** [*Now That Trump Has Driven The Evil Woke From Science, Researchers Reveal the True Effects of Windmills on the Human Brain*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()