APIC Urges Legislators to Strengthen Vaccine Requirements After Measles Death

On Feb. 26, APIC posted a statement calling on legislators to immediately strengthen vaccine requirements to prevent further measles outbreaks, after the first death was reported in Texas. This is the first death in the U.S. attributed to measles in the U.S. since 2015.

The statement said, “Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. 25 years ago, a major public health achievement. Yet today, we are witnessing an entirely preventable resurgence, driven by declining vaccination rates, misinformation and policy failures. This is not just a setback—it’s a public health failure that is needlessly putting lives at risk and undermining decades of progress.

“Measles is more than just rash and fever that clear up in a few days. The disease measles can cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than 5 years old. And it’s highly contagious; if one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected.

“The science is irrefutable: The measles vaccine is safe, effective, and lifesaving. According to the National Institutes of Health, one dose of the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine is 93% effective, and two doses provide 97% protection against measles. Yet, as vaccination rates fall, measles cases surge—leading to unnecessary hospitalizations and preventable deaths.”

Further, the statement added that laws that reduce vaccine protections puts lives at risk. APIC is urging legislators to take immediate action on enforcing strict vaccine requirements for school entry; requiring proof of MMR vaccination for college students, and funding public health efforts to fight vaccine misinformation.