Just had a zoom mtg about prep for measles here. Repeated emphasis on “we don’t have it here yet.” HD says don’t send them here, we aren’t set up for it, and we list our covid-era contact tracers, so can’t help there either. UVA is worried (justifiably so) about exposing immunocompromised patients, so don’t send them there. Basically, the primary care docs will have to figure it out. Gee, thanks guys…
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At the center of this public health emergency is an alarming development: video evidence shows Dr. Ben Edwards, a family medicine physician in the region, treating patients while himself visibly infected with measles. This practice directly contradicts fundamental infectious disease protocols and creates significant public health risks. While most healthcare providers are working to control the outbreak through evidence-based measures and vaccination, Edwards has not only advocated for unproven and potentially harmful approaches but has reportedly continued seeing vulnerable patients, including infants, while exhibiting symptoms consistent with measles and claiming to be actively infected.
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In 2011, Edwards describes experiencing what he calls a “divine appointment” that transformed his medical philosophy. Following this shift, he established Veritas Medical in Lubbock, where he now practices what he terms “integrative medicine.” His website explains that he came to believe that U.S. medical education focuses too narrowly on “symptom management with pharmaceuticals” rather than addressing what he considers to be root causes of disease. While trained in family medicine, public records indicate he is not board-certified in the specialty. (This means that he has not applied for and met nationally recognized standards of expertise and ongoing education that board certification requires.)
Dr. Edwards has established what multiple news reports describe as a makeshift clinic in an unmarked building in Seminole, Gaines County. According to NBC News reporting, this facility has become a gathering point for many local families, particularly from the Mennonite community, seeking treatment for measles. When the reporters visited the facility and spoke with Dr. Edwards, they found Edwards was treating young children, including those struggling to breathe, with inhaled budesonide—a steroid typically used for asthma. He recommended vitamin A supplements and cod liver oil (as a source of vitamins A and D), and in some cases, clarithromycin (an antibiotic). Notably, he did not offer or recommend vaccines. When asked about the risks of unvaccinated patients gathering in close quarters during an active measles outbreak, Edwards dismissed concerns, saying it didn’t matter because “they were all sick with measles.”The treatment protocol Edwards employs is not the standard medical protocol for measles. Dr. Edwards’ approach is unproven for measles, likely useless, and potentially even harmful. Vitamin A can be toxic in high doses; steroids can suppress the immune system, which is not helpful when trying to fight a viral infection; and antibiotics that fight bacteria are not useful in fighting viruses. Sometimes, viral infections become complicated by a superimposed bacterial infection. Even if that were the case, clarithromycin would be a poor choice of antibiotic because it does not fight the specific bacteria that we usually see in these scenarios. Additionally, steroids are sometimes used in viral infections to treat complications like croup or an asthma exacerbation, but they do not address the viral infection itself.
For these reasons, the CDC, World Health Organization, and other major medical organizations have not validated these specific treatments for measles management. Scientific evidence for measles treatment primarily supports standard supportive careand prevention through vaccination, not the alternative protocol being employed at this facility.
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Just another outbreak…
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https://www.tn.gov/health/news/2025/4/17/tennessee-department-of-health-confirms-two-additional-measles-cases-.html
From the article: “TDH is not currently aware of additional exposures related to the newly confirmed cases. There is no evidence of sustained measles transmission in the community or state.”
Six known cases in TN. Vaccination rate for 4-6 year olds statewide is 75%. The bit about “no evidence of sustained measles transmission” needs a “for now” added on.
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