U.S. experts to evaluate if measles elimination status still holds amid rising cases

Noel T. Brewer, chair of the U.S. National Verification Committee, explains that his group will review the CDC’s annual measles report to decide if the United States continues to meet elimination criteria.

The committee’s role is to independently certify the CDC findings and forward its opinion to the Regional Verification Commission, a process that has been in place since the country achieved elimination in 2000.

This year, the U.S. has already recorded more measles cases than in all of 2025, highlighting how quickly a public‑health success can be threatened.

The upcoming assessment will determine whether the nation retains its elimination status or faces the prospect of losing it, underscoring the need for continued vigilance.