Dr. Oz and Fox host push false vaccine claims during measles outbreak
On-air segment spreads debunked COVID death allegations while discussing measles in Pennsylvania.
What to know
- Dr. Oz and Fox Business host Taylor Riggs promoted vaccine skepticism on air, claiming COVID deaths were inflated by counting deaths unrelated to the disease—a claim that commenters with medical knowledge say contradicts autopsy and death certificate procedures.
- The segment invoked maternal autonomy over vaccination during a measles outbreak in Pennsylvania, with critics pointing out the framing contradicts Republican positions on reproductive autonomy and represents belief-based rather than evidence-based medicine.
- Commenters expressed frustration that such claims air nationally without retraction, while healthcare workers warned of the consequences if vaccine hesitancy triggers another public health crisis.
The dispute Whether Oz is genuinely ignorant or deliberately misleading—commenters note he was a respected surgeon and "knows better," suggesting calculation rather than error. · positions read across 215 posts and comments
The claims are false and medically dangerous misinformation that contradicts documented death certification procedures.
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“ALL covid death totals were based on an AUTOPSY death with the medical examiner providing the PROOF to back the finding.”
dragon7380.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
The segment exploits parental autonomy rhetoric selectively while omitting medical context about measles complications and herd immunity.
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“They have convinced people that what they believe is as valid as actual science.”
beuford2beuford.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Fox News should face regulatory or legal consequences for airing medically false claims without retraction.
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“It is really amazing that every day these people can go on tv and be like "I want your children to die of preventable diseases"”
randyhermanlaw.com · Bluesky ↗
Healthcare workers are exhausted and alarmed that vaccine misinformation may trigger another public health emergency.
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“CAN. WE. NOT. FUCKING. DO. THIS. AGAIN? Sincerely, tired fucking worn out healthcare workers. If it pops off, telling yall, telling yall- it's gonna be bad bad.”
10n2.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Dr. Mehmet Oz Fox Business guestTaylor Riggs Fox Business host
How it unfolded 5 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump postscomments
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5
Commenters flag regulatory concerns
Viewers expressed alarm that such claims air on television, with one noting the contrast to FCC restrictions on political content and another comparing the segment to past Fox News litigation over false statements.
“It is really amazing that every day these people can go on tv and be like "I want your children to die of preventable diseases"”
— randyhermanlaw.com -
No one told Taylor that. She is lying. My mother died of Covid. I sincerely hope no one ever tells me in person that she died with Covid.
2 more of the top 3 · 154 posts in this stretch
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They left out the part where the person hit by the car just had a minor scratch on their calf, then later died of COVID. Also, they’re making this up. This was conspiracy theories from 2020 with no evidence.
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R
It is really amazing that every day these people can go on tv and be like "I want your children to die of preventable diseases" and somehow they are still allowed to be in charge of public health
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Medical observers critique incomplete presentation
A commenter identifying as having medical knowledge noted that Oz omitted critical context—that measles causes pregnancy complications and young infants depend on herd immunity before vaccination, facts relevant to the autonomy scenario he presented.
“He doesn't mention that measles can cause pregnancy complications including stillbirth or that young babies rely on herd immunity before they can be vaccinated.”
— mitchking.bsky.social, Bluesky commenter · source -
It’s funny how the FCC won’t let shows air interviews with democratic candidates, but they’ll allow a “news” program air completely false and dangerous medical propaganda.
2 more of the top 3 · 13 posts in this stretch
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Hold up hold up hold up. The Mother’s Autonomy? Oz is promoting the Mothet’s Autonomy in whether to vaccinate her child? Well pro-Mother’s Autonomy is fucking news to me from these guys bc that is not a fucking consideration when that SAME MOTHER IS PREGNANT. See: Abortion rights.
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We have some of each. In this interaction, the reporter seems genuinely that stupid, but Oz knows better. He doesn’t mention that measles can cause pregnancy complications including stillbirth or that young babies rely on herd immunity before they can be vaccinated, facts relevant to the scenario.
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3
Critics highlight contradiction in autonomy framing
Commenters pointed out inconsistency in the autonomy argument, noting that invocation of maternal choice on vaccines contrasts with Republican positions on abortion restrictions. One commenter flagged that Oz was promoting belief-based medical decisions over scientific evidence.
“They have convinced people that what they believe is as valid as actual science.”
— beuford2beuford.bsky.social -
It's the part where he talks about "parent's autonomy". Listen closely to what he says "what they believe in their hearts to be related". That phrase is the problem. They have convinced people that what they believe is as valid as actual science.
2 more of the top 3 · 25 posts in this stretch
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Every day I am violently reminded how sociopathic these people are that they are willing to use the dead as props for political agendas. And then I get even more violent when I remember there was a time in Mehemet Oz's life where he WAS a respected surgeon and he damn well knows better.
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That’s not how that works. Fox should be embarrassed for propagating lies as blatant as that, but $787 million wasn’t enough to call it a lesson learned.
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Viewers contest the COVID death claim as false
Multiple commenters immediately challenged the assertion, with one stating that COVID deaths were verified by autopsy and medical examiner review, not counting unrelated deaths. Another commenter with personal loss criticized the framing of dying "with" versus "from" COVID.
“ALL covid death totals were based on an AUTOPSY death with the medical examiner providing the PROOF to back the finding.”
— dragon7380.bsky.social -
"WE WERE TOLD" by who? because that one comment is BS. ALL covid death totals were based on an AUTOPSY death with the medical examiner providing the PROOF to back the finding. Deaths by a car accident were NEVER reported as a COVID DEATH
2 more of the top 3 · 22 posts in this stretch
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These people shit on dead Americans on the daily.
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How can people be so lacking in critical thinking? Are we as a society really becoming this stupid or have we been this way all along? Fuck people, WAKE THE HELL UP!!
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Dr. Oz and Taylor Riggs air vaccine skepticism segment
On Fox Business, Dr. Oz and host Taylor Riggs promoted vaccine skepticism while discussing the measles outbreak in Pennsylvania. Riggs questioned whether people were "dying with measles or from measles" and invoked a claim about COVID death counting.
“We were told in April 2020 that if you got hit by a car but you also happened to have covid, they considered that a covid death.”
— Taylor Riggs -
A
Dr Oz and kooky Fox Business host Taylor Riggs push vaccine skepticism: "We were told in April 2020 that if you got hit by a car but you also happened to have covid, they considered that a covid death. With the measles outbreak in Pennsylvania, are you dying with measles or from measles?"
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What people are saying 11 voices from 1 site · best of 215 · verbatim
- Will Fox News face consequences or issue a retraction for the false COVID death claim?
- How does a measles outbreak in Pennsylvania relate to current vaccination rates in the state?
- Sep 18
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They barely acknowledged Herman Cain’s death. From Covid.
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GOP and Vaccines: "My body, my choice!" GOP and Abortion: "Your body, our choice!"
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Meanwhile hundreds of Americans died of covid BEFORE February 2020 who had a different cause of death on their death certificate
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Suddenly Republicans think women should have autonomy. Wow‼️ Reeeaaally❓️❓️❓️ Nope. This is only when it suits their agenda. Also... Riggs is lying about covid deaths and misrepresenting VAERS.
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They are vaccinated they just want you \ your kids sick because they are not working for USA.
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I will never understand the anti-vaxxers. To me, vaccines are a miracle. No child should suffer or die from polio or measles because of stupid adults.
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CAN. WE. NOT. FUCKING. DO. THIS. AGAIN? Sincerely, tired fucking worn out healthcare workers. If it pops off, telling yall, telling yall- it’s gonna be bad bad. And so many that were there before, won’t be this time.
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"Sure, we released scores of tigers into the state. But is every tiger death is actually a tiger death? One man in Erie died tripping over a curb and breaking his neck. Yes, he was running from a tiger, but it wasn't the tiger that killed him."
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I'm a doctor, this isn't about saving lives, it's about reinforcing facebook mommy chat delusions.
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From afar, it is hard to tell if America is performatively stupid or just stupid. Are these muppets genuinely committed to what they say or is it just a job?
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how did this POS ever graduate Med School?