Documents contradict RFK Jr.'s testimony on Samoa measles vaccine visit
Newly obtained documents show Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote to Samoa's prime minister in 2019 requesting to study measles vaccines, contradicting his testimony to Congress that his visit was unrelated to vaccines. The letter mentions vaccines eight times. HHS denies any misrepresentation, but legal experts say false testimony to Congress could be a crime.
The letter, obtained by the AP and The Guardian, was sent before Kennedy's trip and explicitly proposed a health informatics assessment of Samoa's measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines, following the deaths of two children who had received them. Kennedy referenced vaccines eight times in the correspondence, and suggested the deaths may have stemmed from manufacturing issues.
During his confirmation hearings, Kennedy told senators his visit was solely to introduce a digital medical records system, repeatedly denying any vaccine-related purpose. HHS maintains the visit was unrelated to vaccines and calls accusations of false testimony defamatory. While Kennedy was not under oath, knowingly providing material false testimony to Congress is technically a crime, though rarely prosecuted.
This discrepancy could erode public trust in federal health leadership, particularly among those already skeptical of vaccine policy. Families affected by the Samoa outbreak, which killed 83 children, may feel the episode was minimized. Lawmakers could face pressure to scrutinize confirmation testimony standards, though the current Republican-led Congress appears unlikely to act. The episode may also influence how the public weighs future statements from health officials.