Health & Science
Swine Flu Scare Tactics
How anti-vaccine advocates are using the H1N1 shot to scare parents about all vaccines.
Thanks to breathless news coverage of the swine flu, we’ve heard a lot about disaster preparedness: antiviral stockpiles, pandemic flu kits (just $15.95 on Amazon!), and, most significantly, vaccine priority lists. The Center for Disease Control recently announced that the first 3.4 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine will be released shortly.
Anti-immunization advocates are excited about the shot, but not because they think it will save them from the swine flu. They have taken the hysteria surrounding the H1N1 vaccine as an opportunity to spread conspiracy theories about this vaccine and vaccines in general. These anti-vaxers reject scientific evidence about the safety of the H1N1 shot, and they’re scaring already-anxious parents on message boards around the Internet.
At the heart of the anti-vaccination effort is a deep skepticism about the government and the medical establishment. If it’s “official,” it’s suspicious. If it’s “mandatory” (for public school admission, say), it’s fascism. I’m not saying the government or the American Academy of Pediatrics have never made mistakes when it comes to health policy. But I do tend to trust my son’s pediatrician and the Obama administration more than some random bloggers with no medical credentials who insist they alone know the truth.
In recent weeks, anti-vax activists have attempted to link the H1N1 flu vaccine to Guillain-Barré Syndrome (a nod to the 1976 flu vaccine debacle), autism (natch), and even cancer. Twitter is a-tweet with dubious links to tales of dead lab rats in vaccine trials, Ron Paul has issued an anti-swine-flu-vaccine video, and the most hard-core anti-vaxers are hosting swine flu parties where parents let noninfected children contract the virus naturally from infected playmates and build up resistance to the disease the old-fashioned way: by suffering through it. (The CDC does not approve.)
What’s more, the anti-vaccine camp is trying to use the H1N1 vaccination push to undermine faith in all vaccines and in public health policy more broadly. The fourth International Public Conference on Vaccination will be held on Oct. 2-4 near Washington, D.C. The conference’s tag line? “Show Us the Science and Give us a Choice.” Promotion for the event suggests parents are invited to the conference to hear why they shouldn’t vaccinate their children against swine flu or other diseases.
“Although it is a good idea for health officials to prepare for a worst case scenario and stockpile vaccines,” according to anti-vax organization the National Vaccination Information Center, “it is a bad idea to turn schools into medical clinics and basically test experimental swine flu vaccines on children first.”
With these kinds of scare tactics, is it any wonder mothers on parenting message boards are freaking out? On UrbanBaby.com, the H1N1 vaccine is proving divisive. Some can’t wait to get their kids the shots (“I think that anyone who doesn't has never experienced the real flu”). Others are sure the vaccine is dangerous. (“They can use someone else’s baby as a guinea pig.”) Even the Elmo PSAs are not reining in the hysteria (although they are providing fodder for late-night TV).
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Comments
H1N1 vaccine
By: satind7 | Tue, 10/06/2009 - 04:58
the H1N1 vaccine is proving divisive. Some can’t wait to get their kids the shots.I think that anyone who doesn't has never experienced the real flu.Others are sure the vaccine is dangerous.
Online Universities
So are the non-vaxed kids labeled?
By: PGofHSM | Wed, 09/30/2009 - 19:55
I hope that the parents who don't vaccinate their kids are indeed very vocal about it, so the parents who don't want to expose their kids who are actually too young for vaccination -- as those poor families in San Diego did just by going to the grocery store or school -- can be sure to keep their own children away from them.
I don't understand how the anti-vax parents can hear about that measles outbreak and not think twice about the risks they are posing to their neighbors. It's fine if you live in a farm and home-school your kids, but it's very irresponsible if you're traveling abroad and bringing diseases the U.S. has basically eradicated back to your community.
@vville
By: im1 | Tue, 09/29/2009 - 21:19
the science based medicine site is a great source, thanks!
Thanks
By: Vville222 | Tue, 09/29/2009 - 19:27
It is refreshing to read a blog that doesn't go in for fear-mongering. I recommend Science-Based Medicine, http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/, for any questions someone might have about the risk/benefit ratios of vaccines. The near eradication of these serious childhood illnesses has led to generations of parents who have not seen their children suffer and die on a regular basis, and therefore overestimate in the extreme the risks of vaccination.
of course
By: tokidoki | Tue, 09/29/2009 - 14:58
of course I read the Slate articles, and while I do find them interesting and informative, I hardly think that they are the ultimate source for comprehensive information on the vaccine debate.
@tokidoki
By: im1 | Mon, 09/28/2009 - 14:52
Did you read the Slate articles?
You may be suspicious of big pharma but no area of medicine is more heavily studied and regulated than vaccines. Sure vaccines have risks, every medical intervention has risks, the problem with the anti-vaxers is that not vaccinating has a MUCH higher risk than vaccinating. Bottom line, it's been proven.
As for a little education: I have a PhD in immunology and it goes quite a looong way thank you.
no science side?
By: tokidoki | Mon, 09/28/2009 - 13:14
When all the studies, really all of them, are paid for by pharmaceutical companies that have a large financial stake?
Vaccines do have documented side effects and risks, these are listed in the brochures that come with them (which very few parents or patients are offered or read). There are children who do die from these side effects and risks, even if they be a very small percentage, those that are affected are very real numbers to the parents involved. Each person should weigh the benefits and risks of each vaccine given a child.
I personally think that autism is not related to vaccines, it could as easily be linked to the Pitocin given in so many deliveries in the last couple decades. Jenny Mcarthy may be vocal, but not anti-vax people listen to her, they listen to actual good science.
More parents are leaning towards selective/delayed vaccinations, simply because it is alot of needles given at once, for things not all children are at risk for, and if there should be a side effect to one of the shots, it is far easier to pinpoint what the reaction was to and for it to be treated properly. Don't dismiss those who choose not to vaccinate, or to vaccinated selectively or on a delayed basis as conspiracy theorists. Not all of them are on the "right" side, most of them have done a great deal of reading on both the history and effectiveness of vaccines, and on the diseases they are supposed to prevent. A little education can go quite a long way.
There are not two sides
By: im1 | Mon, 09/28/2009 - 12:39
There is one right side and one conspiracy theory, no science side.
See these excellent Slate articles covering how the vaccine scare has been determined to definitely be BS.
http://www.slate.com/id/2211156/
http://www.slate.com/id/2217798/
Do not be swayed by scientific data twisted by random bloggers. Science is complicated and easily twisted by disingenuous fanatics. The legitimate scientific community (not containing every blogger who has read a paper on PubMed) has studied the issue very carefully and definitely proved there is no autism-vaccine link and vaccines are safer than not vaccinating.
No vaccination=welcome to natural selection
By: im1 | Mon, 09/28/2009 - 12:28
And honestly if you are so foolish that you don't understand that vaccines, antibiotics, and sanitary water are the ABSOLUTE TOP health improvements in the 20th century, enjoy the 19th. I'm just sorry you insist on leaving your children exposed to 19th century perils when you are already safely vaccinated. Once your kid has measles or a serious flu infection it is too late to do anything about their lack of vaccine, they just have to ride out the infection on hope and prayer and supportive medicine.
As a scientist, nothing peeves me more than the idiocy of the no global warming and no vaccine crowds. People, Jenny McCarthy is not a public health expert, stop listening to her!!!!
choice to harm
By: tokidoki | Mon, 09/28/2009 - 11:59
the idea that non-vaccinated children pose harm to vaccinated children is not necessarily true: vaccines do not impart a blanket immunity, often they simply reduce the duration or severity of an illness should you catch it, making exposure of vaccinated children to non-vaccinated children far more harmful to the non-vaxed. However, the immunity acquired by actually catching and surving an illness is far more beneficial in the long run than that imparted by a vaccine.
I agree with the first poster here in allowing a child to decide as he or she is older. You can always delay a vaccine, but once it has been given you can never take it back.
As far as flu shots go, and swine flu in particular, I don't think the shots have been tested enough, and many do still contain mercury or Thimerosol as it's called in that case. As a pregnant woman I am on the list of who should get shots first, and I will not be getting one. I have never gotten a flu shot (also haven't had the flu since possibly childhood, but maybe not then either), and so see little point in starting now. For those that do choose to get vaccinated, I hope they do so from a position of education, and not fear. Even non-conspiracy theorist people agree that sometimes doctors are wrong, they don't know everything, and pharmaceutical companies have far too much influence for most patients' peace of mind.