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Fact-checkers Reject Kennedy Jr.’s False MMR Fetal Tissue Claim

9/1/2026

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Summary

Story summary

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed the MMR vaccine contains fetal tissue in an August 2026 X post.
Fact-checkers rated the claim false, noting no fetal material remains in the finished MMR vaccine.
The rubella component uses the WI-38 cell line from a 1960s aborted embryo, but manufacturers remove all cell material.
The CDC recorded 2,777 U.S. measles cases from early 2026 to Aug. 20, 2026, with 7% hospitalized.

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Story summary

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed the MMR vaccine contains fetal tissue in an August 2026 X post.
Fact-checkers rated the claim false, noting no fetal material remains in the finished MMR vaccine.
The rubella component uses the WI-38 cell line from a 1960s aborted embryo, but manufacturers remove all cell material.
The CDC recorded 2,777 U.S. measles cases from early 2026 to Aug. 20, 2026, with 7% hospitalized.