CDC Director Delays Inclusion of Two Pennsylvania Measles Deaths in National Count
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it needs more information before adding two Pennsylvania deaths to its measles mortality tally, a decision made by new director Dr. Erica Schwartz that has sparked criticism from public-health officials.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that two deaths reported by Pennsylvania as measles-associated will not be counted in the agency’s weekly measles update. The agency said it lacks sufficient data to determine whether measles caused or contributed to the fatalities and will revise the national total when additional information becomes available.
The exclusion was ordered by CDC director Dr. Erica Schwartz, according to two sources familiar with the decision. Pennsylvania Department of Health press secretary Neil Ruhland said the state had provided all required epidemiological data to the CDC.
"CDC has a responsibility to ensure its reporting accurately and transparently reflects what is known and what remains unconfirmed," HHS press secretary Grace Davis Jamison said in a statement.
The move has intensified a dispute between Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who are both seeking to control a growing measles outbreak in the state.
Public-health experts described the director’s action as atypical. Former CDC principal deputy director Dr. Nirav Shah said the agency normally includes deaths of individuals who test positive for an infection within a short period, regardless of a definitive cause-of-death determination, and called the decision “the definition of the politicization of public health.” Former CDC chief medical officer Dr. Deb Houry noted that a measles-associated death reported by New Mexico last year was counted even while under investigation, highlighting a departure from standard protocol.
Schwartz, who assumed the CDC post in mid-August, has faced scrutiny over her independence from the administration. During her confirmation hearing, senators expressed concern that she might not resist pressure from Secretary Kennedy, a known anti-vaccine advocate. In an agency-wide meeting, Schwartz told staff she would not publicly oppose the secretary but would do so privately if necessary.
The Pennsylvania cases involve an infant with evidence of measles virus in lung tissue and a separate child who tested positive for measles. The Lancaster County coroner’s office is investigating both deaths, while state officials maintain that all required data have been shared with the CDC.
Health-policy analysts warned that questioning the state’s findings before a full review could turn routine scientific verification into a politicized controversy, echoing debates seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.