RFK Jr. ordered CDC to delete Pennsylvania measles deaths, Ars Technica reports

September 4, 2026 at 03:13 AM2 min

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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ordered the CDC to remove two Pennsylvania measles deaths from its public dashboard, Ars Technica reported. The CDC initially posted the deaths on August 30, then deleted them and added a note saying available information does not establish measles as the cause. Pennsylvania health officials say they provided all required information to the CDC.

Key Facts

The CDC initially reported two measles deaths in Pennsylvania on August 30, then removed them from its public dashboard.
The CDC added a note stating that available information does not establish whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths.
Pennsylvania's state health department said it has provided the CDC with all required information.
HHS said the two deaths in Pennsylvania have not been confirmed based on information currently available to CDC.

CDC Data Removal

The CDC initially publicly reported the two measles deaths on August 30, including an unusual note that health departments make determinations about measles-associated deaths and share relevant information with CDC. The two deaths have since been deleted from the CDC's public reporting, replaced by a note stating that available information does not establish whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths or whether the individuals died from other causes while infected with measles. Pennsylvania's state health department has said that it has provided the CDC with all the required information.

Kennedy-Shapiro Dispute

Soon after Pennsylvania health officials announced the deaths, Kennedy got into a heated exchange with Governor Josh Shapiro, who criticized Kennedy's anti-vaccine rhetoric and misinformation as helping to fuel such outbreaks. Kennedy fired back on social media, posting misinformation about the measles vaccine and claiming without evidence that the state may have fabricated the deaths. In an earlier statement to Ars Technica, HHS said that the two deaths in Pennsylvania have not been confirmed based on the information currently available to CDC.