Tina Tan, MD, comments on the measles outbreak in Texas, vaccine-preventable diseases

According to multiple national reports, a child who was not vaccinated has died amid a measles outbreak occurring in Texas. This is the first death in the United States as a result of the respiratory disease since 2015, according to a report from The Associated Press.^1,2

The outbreak in Texas began last month, and as of February 26, 2025, has reached 124 cases spanning across 9 counties.¹

According to The Associated Press, the federal government is providing vaccines and technical support to the area, though the Texas state health department is leading responsive efforts.¹

The Texas health department, stated The Associated Press, is reporting that a majority of the measles cases are in children.¹

"The measles outbreak that is currently happening in Texas and New Mexico is occurring in an area of the states that have very high anti-vaccine sentiments," Tina Tan, MD, FIDSA, FPIDS, FAAP, editor-in-chief of Contemporary Pediatrics and president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), said in the video interview above.

Tan stated this amid reports of the CDC stopping an influenza vaccination campaign and potentially removing publicly-available vaccine data.³

"This is a major problem, because if people have questions about vaccines, and they cannot get scientifically-sound information, and the public health officials are prohibited from talking to them about the vaccines, then they're not going to get it," said Tan.

The death of the child in Texas caused national headlines, including comments from Susan Kressly, MD, FAAP, who is president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).⁴

“As a pediatrician, I am heartbroken to learn that a child has died from measles," Kressly said in a statement. "This is a tragic and devastating loss, and our thoughts are with the family and community affected. One death from a preventable disease is one too many."⁴

Kressly noted that the measles-mumps-rubella, or MMR vaccine, prepares the immune systems of children to detect and deter viruses, offering protection from serious illness.⁴

"The reason many parents in the US have not had to worry about measles in decades is because of widespread immunization with this safe and effective vaccine," Kressly said in the statement. "However, when immunization rates drop in a community, the disease can spread, putting our most vulnerable—especially young children—at risk."⁴

Tan, in her capacity as president of IDSA, recently echoed a similar message in a statement, saying a lack of recommendations from government-affiliated agencies such as the CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) can further lead to decreased vaccination rates.

"Reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been ordered to remove public information on vaccines, including information encouraging people to get vaccinated against flu, leaves Americans with fewer tools to make critical decisions in consultation with their doctors to protect themselves and their families," Tan said in the IDSA statement.³

An ACIP meeting was recently canceled with no make-up date available at this time. When this committee does not meet, Tan says, recommendations for newly-approved vaccines will not be made.

"Postponing a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices delays vital discussions and needed decisions on a variety of vaccines by trusted and well-vetted experts," said Tan.³

Reference:

1. Shastri D, Seitz A. A Texas child who was not vaccinated has died of measles, a first for the US in a decade. The Associated Press. February 26, 2025. Accessed February 26, 2025. https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9

2. Mukherjee N. Child in West Texas is first US measles death in a decade. CNN. February 26, 2025. Accessed February 27, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/26/health/texas-measles-death/index.html

3. Fitch, J. Tina Tan, MD, on ACIP meeting postponement, public vaccine information reports. Contemporary Pediatrics. February 26, 2025. Accessed February 27, 2025. https://www.contemporarypediatrics.com/view/tina-tan-md-on-acip-meeting-postponement-public-vaccine-information-reports

4. Kressly S. Statement from AAP President on First Measles Death in Texas. The American Academy of Pediatrics. Press release. February 26, 2025. Accessed February 27, 2025. https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/aap/2025/statement-from-aap-president-on-first-measles-death-in-texas/