EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published in the Spring 2019 Magazine
Every year, the World Health Organization releases a list of the top ten threats to global health. This year’s list features “vaccine hesitancy,” which is the “refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines.” Others threats on the list include HIV, Dengue, and Ebola. The group dubbed “anti-vaxxers” hasve begun a campaign that is fraught with factual inaccuracies and emotional propaganda, including unsubstantiated claims about vaccines causing autism. Their disregard for science threatens not only their own lives, but the lives of everyone around them.
One prominent anti-vaxx group, Vaccine Liberation, hopes to “reveal the myth that vaccines are safe, necessary, and effective.” Their poorly designed website features propaganda-like slogans and images and supposedly educational articles that link mainly to their own website.
Their organization, like many others, was likely created in response to a 1998 paper that falsely correlated the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine with autism. The paper was later retracted based on its poor study design, its unsubstantiated claims, and criticism from the scientific community. It was also revealed to have been funded by lawyers representing parents who were suing vaccine companies, but the doubts about vaccine safety have remained.
Numerous studies have been published that demonstrate how crucial vaccines are to global health. They not only build immunity in the recipient of the shot, but also protect those who cannot be vaccinated because of medical conditions, like immunodeficiency. However, anti-vaxxer campaigns continue to deny scientific evidence and perpetuate belief in misconceptions. For instance, they call attention to the major improvement in personal hygiene during the Industrial Revolution, saying that this contributed to better human health, not vaccines. While better hygiene has improved overall health, vaccinations have had a much more significant impact.
They also claim that many of the diseases that today’s vaccinations are for do not exist anymore; however, many of these diseases still exist outside of the U.S., such as measles. A travellertraveler, or other vector, could bring that disease to the United States,.S. causing people who are not vaccinated to contract and spread the disease.
Additionally, today’s vaccines are very safe and any side effects are typically short term, such as a fever or sore arm. Vaccines also can not manifest or enable the symptoms of the virus give the virus they protect against. Doctors point out that vaccines are usually given at the beginning of that disease’s “season,” when people are most at risk to become ill. Furthermore, multiple vaccines at the same time have been scientifically proven to not to overload a child’s immune system, while the supposedly deadly chemicals they contain are either naturally produced in the body nor exit the system within several days.
Use of non-medical vaccine exemptions has recently increased in 12 out of 18 states where they are allowed, thanks to the anti-vaxxer movement. These “hot spots” are often the sites of outbreaks, such as the recent wave of measles in Washington state.
Much of the spread of this movement can be attributed to social media platforms. In response, many have joined the backlash against the anti-vaccination movement. Pinterest has blocked searches for vaccine content and YouTube has banned the use of ads to monetize anti-vaxx videos. Facebook, which is home to countless groups that promote disinformation about vaccines, has been called on to stop the spread of misinformation on their site. These groups, such as Vitamin C Against Vaccine Damage and Stop Mandatory Vaccination, provide an environment where people can play into each other’s fears of disease. The leaders of these groups often profit from the uncertainty they create, as well. One CEO advertises Vitamin C as a cure-all, then sells it in bulk.
Some unvaccinated teenagers are taking matters into their own hands. As they come of age, teens are navigating the healthcare system to get themselves vaccinated. One teen, who had himself vaccinated in December 2018, Ethan Lindenberger, has become well-known for his Reddit comments and pursuit of vaccination despite his mother’s wishes. “God knows how I’m alive,” he says.
The bottom line is that anti-vaxxers are endangering the lives of themselves, their children, and the world population at large. Time and time again, science has shown the safety and success of vaccination and how it can save lives. Vaccination has even led to the eradication of several diseases, including smallpox. Whether it is banning unvaccinated persons from public institutions or limiting “philosophical” exemptions through legal action, something must be done to combat this misguided faction’s actions. The anti-vaccination movement is no longer a fringe group that mainstream society can scoff at. It has grown to be a valid campaign to many people and a real threat to global health.