Kennedy slams Governor Shapiro for labeling his comments as vaccine conspiracy claims

During a briefing on two recent measles deaths in Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro criticized Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., accusing him of promoting vaccine misinformation and scaring families away from doctors. Kennedy posted a transcript of their phone call, noting that Shapiro could not cite a specific instance of misinformation yet continued to repeat the charge publicly. He highlighted a deposition by Dr. Stanley Plotkin that affirmed the presence of fetal tissue in the MMR vaccine, countering Shapiro’s statement that none exists.

Kennedy also disputed the governor’s claim that his office was responsible for the decline in Pennsylvania’s vaccination rate, indicating that most of the drop occurred during the Biden administration. The exchange underscores a broader clash over public-health messaging and vaccine confidence in the state.