Dr. Scott Gottlieb says measles outbreak may "get worse, unfortunately, before it resolves"

Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb warned on CBS's "Face the Nation" this Sunday that the ongoing measles outbreak across the United States is likely to worsen before it subsides, citing a dangerous shift in public perception and declining vaccination rates. During his interview with moderator Margaret Brennan, the current Pfizer and UnitedHealthcare board member emphasized that the domestic resurgence of this highly contagious virus is being fueled by a growing politicization of public health measures. As cases continue to emerge in various states, Gottlieb expressed concern that the disease has found a foothold in the American "political psyche," complicating traditional containment strategies and routine immunization efforts. According to Gottlieb, the difficulty in managing the current spike lies in the fact that vaccine hesitancy has transformed from a fringe concern into a broader political identity. This ideological entrenchment makes it harder for health officials to communicate the safety and efficacy of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine to skeptical parents. He noted that once a public health issue becomes a marker of political affiliation, regaining the trust necessary to achieve herd immunity becomes a multi-year challenge rather than a simple logistical fix. This suggests that the U.S. may be entering a sustained period of sporadic outbreaks rather than a quick resolution. The health expert’s warnings come amid a backdrop of rising measles cases globally and locally, which had previously been declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. Gottlieb pointed out that the erosion of trust in institutions—accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic—is now manifesting in the rejection of long-standing childhood immunizations. This lack of compliance threatens the protective barrier that keeps vulnerable populations, such as infants and the immunocompromised, safe from a virus that can lead to severe complications, hospitalization, or permanent neurological damage.