Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz is urging Americans to get vaccinated against measles as outbreaks surge across several states. Measles cases in South Carolina have surpassed Texas' 2025 outbreak count, with multiple other states reporting confirmed cases this year. These outbreaks primarily impact children and occur as infectious disease experts warn rising public distrust of vaccines may be fueling the spread of a disease once declared eradicated. Oz, whose boss has raised safety concerns about vaccines, defended recent federal recommendations and past comments from President Trump and Health Secretary Kennedy on vaccine efficacy.

He stated Medicare and Medicaid will continue covering the measles vaccine without barriers. However, Oz also acknowledged Kennedy's longstanding skepticism about the recommended vaccine schedule, despite Kennedy's past support for measles vaccination during specific outbreaks. The Republican administration last month dropped some vaccine recommendations for children, an overhaul prompted by President Trump's request for the U.S. to align with peer nations' approaches.

States retain authority over school vaccination mandates, though federal guidelines often influence state regulations. Vaccination rates have dropped, with exemptions reaching record highs, coinciding with rising rates of preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough. Kennedy's past anti-vaccine activism has drawn scrutiny, particularly regarding his 2019 trip to Samoa before a devastating measles outbreak there that killed 83 people, mostly children.

Oz's comments reflect a pattern of discordant statements on vaccine efficacy within the administration, walking a line between criticizing past policy and not fully endorsing conspiracy theories. Public health officials cite the need to restore trust after the polarizing COVID-19 response, where misinformation and conspiracy theories flourished, benefiting anti-vaccine groups. The administration's mixed messaging on vaccines, including unfounded claims linking vaccines to autism, continues to undermine public health efforts.