U.S. going backwards on vaccines, stoking unnecessary fears: B.C.’s top doctor

VANCOUVER – Vaccine misinformation promoted by United States officials is stoking unnecessary fears about vaccines proven to work, British Columbia’s top doctor said Thursday.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said a recent executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump that recommends splitting the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine ignores the evidence about the shot’s safety.

“It really takes us backwards. We have very effective combination vaccines,” Henry told a news conference encouraging back-to-school immunizations.

Henry said the American officials treating measles as though it’s not a serious illness is harmful to families and communities.

“It is really distressing for people like me who have been working with vaccines and seen the benefits of vaccines for so long, to see that being dismantled and undone in the United States,” she said. 

B.C. Health Minister Ravi Kahlon joined Henry, saying U.S. rhetoric about vaccines is contributing to rising measles cases and a decrease in childhood vaccinations.

“Sadly, children are the ones who bear the consequences,” he said. 

Though no measles deaths have been reported in B.C. in 2025 or 2026, Kahlon said recent measles cases south of the border are concerning.

“That is not only terrible news for the U.S., but it’s also a risk that we here in British Columbia need to be prepared for,” he said. 

Both Canada and the United States have seen increases in measles cases in 2025 and 2026, including a cluster of cases in northeastern B.C. last June.

The BC Centre For Disease Control describes measles as highly contagious, resulting in hospitalization for about one in 10 people who fall ill.

B.C. has recorded 459 measles cases since 2025, with 52 this year. About 30 have involved hospitalizations and most of the patients were not vaccinated, Henry said.

There were no active cases as of Thursday, she noted.

The majority of measles cases in the past year have been recorded in communities where vaccinations rates have been decreasing, she said.

Summer travel puts children at risk of exposure to viruses such as measles and parents should make sure their children’s immunization records are up to date before school starts, Henry said.

Many children starting school for the first time in B.C. are due for booster vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella, known as chickenpox, she added.

Older children may receive the human papillomavirus or HPV vaccine along with boosters for tetanus and meningitis, Henry said. 

Asked about youth who disagree with their vaccine-hesitant parents, Henry said there’s a process in place to assess their ability to understand, and if they are mature enough, they may request to receive the shot.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 27, 2026.