Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recommended Vitamin A to cure measles amid an outbreak in West Texas, leading to vitamin A toxicity in several children. Over 570 cases of measles have been reported in the U.S., and two children have died.
The outbreak began in West Texas in January, with the first measles death since 2015 occurring in February and the third on April 3. Both deaths were unvaccinated children with no underlying diseases.
The second death occurred in an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico on March 6, but the Centers for Disease Control has not confirmed whether it is connected to the West Texas outbreak. There are 10 confirmed cases of measles in Lea County, NM, which is approximately 50 miles away from the source of the measles outbreak in Gaines County, TX. Outbreaks have also been reported in Kansas, Ohio and Oklahoma.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads from one person to another via droplets in the air. It causes a respiratory infection and distinctive red rash, and it can potentially lead to more severe symptoms such as pneumonia and swelling of the brain, known as encephalitis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About one in five cases requires hospitalization, while approximately three cases in every 1,000 result in death, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.
Children in West Texas are also being treated for vitamin A poisoning after RFK Jr. suggested the vitamin as a cure for measles. Covenant Children’s Hospital in Lubbock, TX, confirmed less than 10 cases of vitamin A toxicity in children with severe measles infections, causing abnormal liver function.
Kennedy recommended in an article published on March 2 that those with mild to severe measles infections should use cod liver oil, high in vitamin A and D, to treat their infection. After the release of the article, the West Texas area experienced high demand for cod liver oil.
The World Health Organization does occasionally use vitamin A in addition to antibiotics in places that are experiencing widespread malnourishment, as vitamin A deficiency can lead to a weakened immune system. However, West Texas is not currently experiencing any such malnourishment and thus, vitamin A would have no effect on those infected.
The CDC recommends that everyone ensures they have received the MMR vaccine, as it is highly effective in preventing measles. If one is exposed to measles, they should seek immediate medical care as the measles vaccine may help prevent the disease if given within 72 hours of first exposure, and immune globulin may prevent or lessen the severity of measles if given within six days of first exposure.