Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease Statement in Response to News of a Second Child Death from Measles

April 7, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) The Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease (PFID) released the following statement in response to reports a second child in West Texas has died from an ongoing measles outbreak:

“The latest tragic vaccine-preventable death of a child cannot be normalized. As we grieve for another family and community experiencing horrific loss due to measles, we must also recognize an unmistakable pattern: Neither child was vaccinated against the disease.

“For more than half a century, vaccines against measles have protected the most vulnerable among us, including children. In 2000, measles was eradicated in the U.S.  But vaccines only work when used. A recent rise in misinformation and avoidance contradicts decades of research and proof that vaccines work and are safe, contributing to a decline in immunization rates and weakening our health and safety. Only a few months into 2025, the number of U.S. measles cases has far surpassed the 2024 total, and the number of hospitalizations continues to grow. Most tragically, two unvaccinated children have died as a result.

“We call on our public health institutions and leaders to speak clearly and directly about the turn some American attitudes have taken on vaccine efficacy and the urgent need to correct course. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. agrees that ‘the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine.’ The science is clear. Sadly, so are the stakes.”