Records Show RFK Jr Planned Samoa Vaccine Mission, Contradicting Senate Testimony After 83 Deaths
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 25
Records Show RFK Jr Planned Samoa Vaccine Mission, Contradicting Senate Testimony After 83 Deaths
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 25
Summary
Emails obtained by the Guardian show Robert F. Kennedy Jr and Children’s Health Defense colleague Michael Graven described their 2019 Samoa trip as a “mission” to analyze medical records after a vaccination “discontinuity.”
Those records directly undercut Kennedy’s Senate testimony that the visit had “nothing to do with vaccines” and was instead about an independence celebration and a medical informatics system.
A 13 May 2019 email said Graven would conduct statistical investigations at hospitals and clinics to evaluate outcomes tied to the vaccination pause, though a State Department email later said he and Kennedy left after only a few days.
Kennedy’s Samoa visit has drawn intense scrutiny because officials there said it boosted anti-vaccine activists before a measles outbreak later in 2019 sickened thousands and killed 83 people, mostly young children.
The new documents add to earlier reporting that prompted Democratic lawmakers to accuse Kennedy of lying to Congress, while also reinforcing links to his long-running push for studies comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated children.
As measles deaths return to the US, what is the ultimate cost of questioning vaccine science from within the government?
With courts halting his agenda, how will the Health Secretary attempt to reshape the future of American public health?
RFK Jr., Vaccine Hesitancy, and the 2019 Samoa Measles Outbreak: Consequences for U.S. and Global Health
Overview
Recent disclosures reveal that Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s trip to Samoa was closely linked to his ongoing interest in comparing health outcomes of vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Emails and embassy alerts show that the real reason for his visit was to raise concerns about vaccinations, which led to official warnings and a directive for embassy staff to stop supporting his activities. Samoan officials later said Kennedy Jr.'s visit gave anti-vaccine activists more credibility, contributing to a decline in vaccination rates and setting the stage for a devastating measles outbreak. These events highlight the serious impact of his actions on public health.