IOM issues
reassuring vaccine report. (Consumer Health Digest #11-28 September
1st, 2011)
The Institute of Medicine has reviewed more than 1,000 published
research articles and concluded that whereas no vaccine is 100%
safe, very few adverse events are shown to be caused by vaccines.
In addition, the report concluded that vaccines do not cause several
conditions of recent concern:
**The MMR vaccine is not associated with autism or childhood diabetes.
**The DTaP vaccine is also not associated with diabetes.
**The influenza vaccine given as a shot does not exacerbate asthma.
In 1900, for every 1000 babies born in the United States, 100
would die before their first birthday, often due to infectious
diseases.
Today, effective vaccines exist for many bacterial and viral illnesses.
Full copies of the 665-page report, The Adverse Effects of Vaccines,
are downloadable free of charge from the National Academies Press
Web site. http://download.nap.edu/cart/download.cgi?&record_id=13164&free=1.
Anti-vaccinationists ridiculed on YouTube (Consumer Health Digest #15-10
- March 8, 2015)
Television talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel has produced two
episodes promoting vaccinations. The first one suggests that
doctors might know more about vaccines than actress Jenny McCarthy
(even with clothes on). The second one discusses the nasty responses
to the first video and features the results of a survey in which
children were asked whether they would rather get a shot or a
lollipop.
Diphtheria
reported in Spain (Consumer
Health Digest #15-22 - June 7, 2015)
A six-year-old boy has become the first recorded case of diphtheria
in Spain for 29 years. Eight children who came in contact with
the boy have tested positive for the causative bacteria but have
not become ill. These children, all of whom had been vaccinated,
have been placed in isolation and are being treated with antibiotics
to prevent the disease from developing. [Eight
more children infected with diphtheria. The Local Spain, June
8, 2015] The six-year-old was hospitalized in serious
condition but appears to be responding well to treatment with
diphtheria antitoxin obtained from Russia after an urgent international
appeal. His parents have said they feel "cheated" by
the anti-vaccination movement. Antoni Mateu, Catalonia's regional
secretary for public health, has pledged to pursue offending anti-vaccination
platforms that "spread lies and cause confusion." [Parents
of diphtheria boy 'feel terrible guilt.' The Local Spain, June
5, 2015] Diphtheria had been considered eradicated in
Spain, thanks to routine vaccination programs, with the last case
having been reported in 1986.
AMA wants
"personal belief" vaccine exemptions ended (Consumer Health
Digest #15-23 - June 14, 2015)
The AMA has adopted a new policy to seek more stringent state
immunization requirements. Although mandatory immunization programs
in the United States have controlled or eliminated the spread
of smallpox, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria and polio, only
two states bar non-medical exemptions based on personal beliefs.
The new policy recommends that qualified public health officials
be involved in determining which vaccines should be mandated and
that exemptions be permitted only for medical reasons. The AMA
also intends to support the dissemination of materials on vaccine
efficacy. [AMA
supports tighter limitations on immunization opt outs. AMA news
release, June 8, 2015].
California
limits vaccination refusal (Consumer Health Digest #15-26 - July 5,
2015)
Governor Jerry Brown has signed SB277
into law, making California the third state in the nation to require
immunizations of schoolchildren and children in child care centers
without exemption for religious or personal beliefs. The other
two states are Mississippi and West Virginia. California is also
the first state to repeal a religious exemption from immunizations.
Two months ago, Vermont repealed its "philosophical"
exemption from immunizations and became the first state to repeal
any personal belief exemption. However, it still permits religious
exemptions. All states permit exemption on medical grounds. The
American Medical Association recently expressed support for tighter
limitations on immunization opt outs
Roots
of anti-vaccine movement chronicled (Consumer Health Digest #15-28
- July 19, 2015)
The Atlantic has published a fascinating article about the struggle
over mandatory smallpox vaccination that began during the 19th
century and still has parallels today. [Earl E. The
Victorian anti-vaccination movement. The Atlantic, July 15,
2015]
FDA publishes
new vaccine guide (Consumer
Health Digest #15-33 - August 23, 2015)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has published a guide
to childhood vaccines that covers benefits and risks; vaccine
types; steps to take when a child is vaccinated; key facts about
the vaccines that are routinely administered; and frequently asked
questions.
Vaccination
advocacy group expands scope
(Consumer
Health Digest #15-50 - December 20, 2015)
In anticipation of its 25-year anniversary, Every Child By Two
(ECBT) has expanded its original mission of ensuring timely vaccination
of all children by the age of two to include people of all ages.
Its enhanced Web
site and Facebook
pages present scientifically-accurate information on vaccines
needed at each stage of life; details about the burden of vaccine-preventable
diseases; answers to questions about the safety of vaccines; personal
stories from families who have been affected by deadly but preventable
infectious diseases; and links to other reliable sources.
Antivaccination
film showing canceled (Consumer
Health Digest #16-11 - March 27, 2016)
The Tribeca Film Festival, which had planned to screen an anti-vaccination
film, has canceled the showing in response to protests from the
scientific community. Robert De Niro, a founder of the festival,
wrote: "My intent in screening this film was to provide an
opportunity for conversation around an issue that is deeply personal
to me and my family. But after reviewing it over the past few
days with the Tribeca Film Festival team and others from the scientific
community, we do not believe it contributes to or furthers the
discussion I had hoped for." [Goodman S. Robert
De Niro pulls anti-vaccine documentary from Tribeca Film Festival.
The New York Times, March 26, 2016] The film, "Vaxxed:
From Cover-Up to Catastrophe," was directed and co-written
by Andrew Wakefield, the disgraced physician whose paper claiming
a connection between autism and measles was retracted by The Lancet
and whose license was revoked for ethics violations and his failure
to disclose financial conflicts of interest.
Trump
urged to support vaccination (Consumer Health Digest #17-07 - February
12, 2017)
Led by the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 350 national
and state-based organizations that represent families, providers,
researchers, patients, and consumers have sent a 28-page
letter urging President Donald Trump to express their unequivocal
support for vaccination. The letter appears to be a response to
ignorant statements Trump made during the presidential campaign
and his recent meetings with antivaccination advocates Andrew
Wakefield and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The letter ended this way:
Claims that vaccines are unsafe when administered according to
expert recommendations have been disproven by a robust body of
medical literature, including a thorough review by the National
Academy of Medicine. . . . Attached to this letter is a non-exhaustive
list of studies demonstrating the safety of vaccines. Delaying
vaccines only leaves our nation's citizens at risk of disease,
particularly children. As a nation we should redouble our efforts
to make needed investments in patient and family education about
the importance of vaccines in order to increase the rate of vaccination
among all populations.
Put simply: Vaccines are safe. Vaccines are effective. Vaccines
save lives. Our organizations welcome the opportunity to meet
with you to share the robust, extensive scientific evidence supporting
vaccine safety and effectiveness.
Romania
has massive measles outbreak (Consumer Health Digest #17-18 - April 30,
2017)
Romania is experiencing a massive outbreak of measles that began
last year. As of March 21, at least 3,800 cases of measles, including
17 deaths, have been confirmed and rates in surrounding countries
have risen. Measles vaccination is about 97% effective in preventing
the disease. "Herd immunity" (prevention of widespread
transmission) occurs when when coverage is 90%-95%, but the higher
the better. Romanians became susceptible to epidemic spread because
the rate of 2-dose immunization dropped from 96% in 2007 to 86%
in 2015. The factors influencing the drop are poverty, neglect,
and the spread of antivaccine sentiments. Romania is one of six
nations in the European Union or European Economic Area judged
by the World Health Organization to still have endemic transmission
of the vaccine-preventable disease. The others are Belgium, France,
Germany, Italy, and Poland. The Respectful
Insolence Blog has a detailed analysis of what happened in
Romania.
Anti-vax
myths lampooned (Consumer
Health Digest #17-25 - June 25, 2017)
Comedian John Oliver has debunked the common myths and fears that
influence some parents to delay or avoid vaccinating their children.
The June 26 "Last Week Tonight" TV episode can be viewed on YouTube.
France
to mandate vaccinations (Consumer Health Digest #17-29 - July 2,
2017)
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has said it is "unacceptable"
that children are "still dying of measles" in the country
where some of the earliest vaccines were pioneered. Three childhood
vaccines, for diphtheria, tetanus and polio, are currently required
in France. Eight more, including measles and whooping cough, will
be required by 2018. To fight against smoking, Philippe also announced
that the price of pack of cigarettes will be go up from 7 to 10
euros [Forster K. France
to make vaccination mandatory from 2018 as it is 'unacceptable
children are still dying of measles.' Move follows similar initiative
in Italy, where non-vaccinated children cannot attend state schools.
The Independent, July 5, 2017]
Psychological
links to anti-vaccination attitude investigated (Consumer Health Digest #18-19
May 13, 2018)
There is no clear evidence that debunking anti-vaccination myths
has a significant effect on anti-vaccination attitudes. To explore
why this is so, Australian researchers surveyed people in 24 countries
ionn six continents. Based on responses from 5,323 participants,
the researchers found that anti-vaccination attitudes scores were
associated with:
- conspiratorial thinking
- reactance (the tendency to have low tolerance for impingements
on one's freedom)
- disgust toward blood and needles
- individualistic and hierarchical as opposed to egalitarian and
communitarian worldview
These relationships were not strong among respondents in Asian
and South American countries, but in Australia, Canada, Germany,
New Zealand, U.K., and the U.S.A., beliefs about conspiracies
were found to account for 17% to 27% of the variation in anti-vaccination
attitude. Gender and education level were not significantly related
to anti-vaccination attitude, but conservative political ideology
and younger age were each found to be weakly related. [Hornsey
MJ and others. The
psychological roots of anti-vaccination attitudes: A 24-nation
investigation. Health Psychology 37:307-315, 2018]
20 states
have introduced anti-vaccination bills (Consumer Health Digest #19-08
March 10, 2019)
At least 20 states have introduced bills this year that,
according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, would (a) broaden
the reasons why parents can exempt kids from getting vaccines
even if there isn't a medical need and (b) require doctors to
provide more information on the risks of vaccines. [Lou M.
Griggs B. Even
with measles outbreaks across the US, at least 20 states have
proposed anti-vaccination bills. CNN. Mar 6, 2019] These
misguided legislative efforts coincide with reports of 206 individual
cases of measles confirmed in 11 states during the first two months
of 2019. The majority of those cases were among nonvaccinated
people. [Measles
cases and outbreaks. CDC. Mar 4, 2019] The measles, mumps,
and rubella (MMR) vaccine is very
safe. Thanks to a highly effective vaccination program in
the United States and improved measles control in the Americas
region, measles was declared
eliminated from the United States in 2000.
No antibody
responses found for homeopathic vaccines (Consumer Health Digest #19-13
- March 31, 2019)
A well-controlled
study in a sample of 150 university students found:
Homeopathic "nosodes" promoted for prevention of diphtheria,
pertussis, tetanus, mumps, and measles did not evoke antibody
responses.
Their antibody responses were similar to placebo.
Standard vaccines for the same diseases provided a robust antibody
response in most of those vaccinated.
[Loeb M. et al. A
randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial comparing antibody
responses to homeopathic and conventional vaccines in university
students. Vaccine. 36(48):7423-7429, 2018] Nosodes are
homeopathic products made from pathological organs or tissues;
causative agents such as bacteria, fungi, ova, parasites, virus
particles and yeast; disease products; or excretions. Some homeopaths
falsely claim that nosodes are effective as vaccines. Health Canada
was recently criticized for continuing to license homeopathic
nosodes and merely warning the public that they are not a substitute
for vaccines. [Ireland N. Stronger
action urged against homeopathic products touted as alternatives
to vaccines. CBC News. Mar 18, 2019]
New York
eliminates religious exemptions to mandatory vaccinations (Consumer Health
Digest #19-25 June 23, 2019)
New York has become
the sixth U.S. state, joining California, Arizona, West Virginia,
Mississippi, and Maine, to eliminate exemptions
on religious grounds to mandatory vaccines for children. [McKinley
J. Measles
outbreak: N.Y. eliminates religious exemptions for vaccinations.
The New York Times. Jun 13, 2019] Opponents of ending religious
exemptions have included many Orthodox Jewish parents and parents
of children attending Waldorf schools, despite recent outbreaks
of vaccine-preventable diseases in Orthodox Jewish communities
in Brooklyn and Rockland County and at some Waldorf schools.
Recommendations
offered for dealing with anti-vaxx propaganda (Consumer Health Digest #19-47
- November 30, 2019)
Science communicator
Lucky Tran believes that many anti-vaxx activists are engaging
in "firehosing," a
propaganda technique that innvolves pushing out as many lies as
possible as often as possible. [Tran L. Firehosing:
the systemic strategy that anti-vaxxers are using to spread misinformation.
The Guardian, Nov 7, 2019] The term is based on a previous
description of Russian authorities' propaganda model as the "firehose
of falsehood." [Paul C. Matthews M. The
Russian "firehose of falsehood" propaganda model.
Rand Corporation, 2016] The goal of the lies is not to persuade
but to rob
facts of their power. Rand researchers have concluded that
pointing out falsehoods and inconsistencies in messages is not
likely to be effective against firehosing. Instead it is better
to: (a) forewarn audiences about methods propagandists use to
manipulate public opinion, and (b) disrupt the flow of disinformation
by pressuring media to block or remove false content. Dr. Steven
Novella has made additional suggestions:
[We also] need to control the venue, meaning that the information
ecosystem needs to account for firehosing as a common abuse and
take steps to prevent it. Journalists and editors are probably
the first line of defense here. They need to understand this strategy
so that they don't get exploited to further it. They should shut
it down, and not give it the attention it seeks. Don't fall for
the "false balance" fallacy, which is used as an opening
for firehosing. Don't get distracted by the mountain of information,
which does not mean that you don't fact-check and correct misinformation.
Rather, don't just fact-check. Try to automate the fact-checking
as much as possible so it is available as a reference, but don't
waste your headlines and news space playing the firehosing game.
That is what they want. [Novella S. How
to combat firehosing. Neurologica blog, Nov 8, 2019]
Genetic
testing to predict adverse vaccine reactions debunked (Consumer Health
Digest #20-15 April 19, 2020)
Many offbeat practitioners
are claiming that testing for variants of the MTHFR gene can determine
who is at increased risk for various health problems including
adverse reactions to vaccines. However, those are not validated
uses for MTHFR testing. [Zhang S. Why
anti-vax doctors are ordering 23andMe tests. The Atlantic.
May 23, 2019] Four authors of the 2008 paper that has been
cited as the basis for widespread MTHFR testing concluded last
year: "It is unfortunate that the loose application of
our exploratory report has been misinterpreted and used to inappropriately
justify exemption of children from receiving medically indicated
vaccines." [Reif DM and others. Inappropriate
citation of vaccine article. Journal of Infectious Diseases.
June 3, 2019]
Vaccination
is losing ground on social media (Consumer Health Digest #20-19
May 17, 2020)
A system-level analysis
of vaccination-related messaging of nearly 100 million Facebook
users has found that anti-vaccination pages:
- have fewer followers than pro-vaccination pages
- are more numerous than pro-vaccination pages
- tend to be linked to more frequently than pro-vaccination pages
from Facebook pages whose stance on vaccination is undecided
- tend to blend topics such as safety concerns, conspiracy theories,
alternative health and medicine, and the cause and cure of COVID-19
- grew in networking more than did pro-vaccination pages during
the measles outbreak of 2019
The researchers' computer simulations suggest that opposition
to vaccines will dominate the network of views on vaccines within
ten years unless the scientific community becomes more effective.
[Johnson and others. The
online competition between pro- and anti-vaccination views.
Nature. May 13, 2020] Public health messaging arguably needs
to do a better job competing with the appeals to the heart and
disinformation about a potential COVID-19 vaccine that are common
in anti-vaccination messaging. [Ball P. Anti-vaccine
movement could undermine efforts to end coronavirus pandemic,
researchers warn. Nature. May 13, 2020] Dr. Stephen Barrett
agrees but asserts that social media can and should decide not
to remain a conduit for harmful health misinformation. [Barrett
S. Facebook
should do more to combat vaccine misinformation. Quackwatch,
May 18, 2020]
More evidence
links vaccine refusal to measles outbreaks (Consumer Health Digest #20-37
- September 20, 2020)
A recent review has
found that in measles outbreaks during the past five years, at
least 70% of the infected individuals had not been vaccinated.
Seven articles published from November 30, 2015, through June
1, 2020, covered 8 measles outbreaks that included 1,176 individuals
with measles, of whom 125 (10.6%) had received measles-containing
vaccine, 888 (75.5%) had no history of vaccination, and 163 (13.9%)
had unknown vaccination status. [Phadke
VK and others. Vaccine refusal and measles outbreaks in the US.
JAMA, Aug 14, 2020] State and national measles surveillance
data from 2016 to June 2020 indicates that of 1392 measles cases,
152 (10.9%) had received measles-containing vaccine, 989 (71.0%)
had no history of measles vaccination, and 251 (18.0%) had unknown
vaccination status.
COVID-19
vaccine misinformation report released (Consumer Health Digest #20-48
- December 7, 2020)
First Draft, an organization
dedicated to protecting communities from harmful misinformation,
has issued a 95-page
research report and a 23-page
executive summary on "dominant vaccine narratives on
social media platforms in English, French, and Spanish online
communities which could erode public trust in a COVID-19 vaccine,
and vaccines more generally." [Under
the surface: Covid-19 vaccine narratives, misinformation and data
deficits on social media. First Draft press release, Nov 12,
2020] The press release states:
Narratives challenging the safety of vaccines have been perennial
players in the online vaccine debate. Yet this research shows
that narratives related to mistrust in the intentions of institutions
and key figures surrounding vaccines are now driving as much of
the online conversation and vaccine skepticism as safety concerns.
This issue is compounded by the complexities and vulnerabilities
of this information ecosystem. It is full of "data deficits"
— situations where demand for information about a topic is
high but the supply of credible information is low — that
are being exploited by bad actors. These data deficits complicate
efforts to accurately make sense of the development of a Covid-19
vaccine and vaccines more generally. When people can't easily
access reliable information around vaccines and when mistrust
in actors and institutions related to vaccines is high, misinformation
narratives rush in to fill the vacuum. The findings should act
as a wake-up call as the world waits for a Covid-19 vaccine and
sees routine immunization rates drop.
Social
media urged to block antivax “superspreaders.” (Consumer Health
Digest #21-02 January 17, 2021)
Antivax networks promote
a “master narrative” with three false messages: (1)
COVID-19 is not dangerous; (2) COVID-19 vaccines are dangerous;
and (3) vaccine advocates cannot be trusted. The Center
for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) has produced three
superb reports about the spread of this misinformation through
social media:
The
Anti-Vaxx Industry: How Big Tech powers and profits from vaccine
misinformation exposes how the global scientific consensus
on vaccines is being undermined by a small but determined and
sophisticated network of individuals and groups who spread misinformation
online.
Failure
to Act: How Tech Giants Continue to Defy Calls to Rein in Vaccine
Misinformation notes that even when users reported misinformation
to the platforms, fewer than 1 in 20 misinformation posts were
removed.
The
Anti-Vaxx Playbook reveals how anti-vaccine networks
are systematically planning to exploit social media to suppress
the use of COVID-19 vaccines. It concludes:
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom of reach. There is no
justification for Facebook or others to continue undermining the
attempts to roll out the COVID-19 vaccines by enabling lies to
reach millions.
The 10 antivaxxers with the largest cross-platform followings
make up the majority of the total audience for antivaxxers online.
These are the “superspreaders” of antivax misinformation.
The best way to prevent people from falling for misinformation
is to prevent them from seeing it in the first place using a strategy
called deplatforming.
Prominent antivaxxers should be removed from their platforms.
The CCDH is a non-profit organization that seeks to disrupt the
architecture of online hate and misinformation. [Barrett S.
Social
media urged to block antivax “superspreaders.” Quackwatch,
Jan 15, 2021]
Medical
license of vaccine fearmonger Ken Stoller revoked (Consumer Health
Digest #21-08 February 28, 2021)
The Medical Board
of California has revoked the medical license of Kenneth
Paul Stoller, M.D., for writing baseless medical exemptions from
school vaccine requirements. The revocation
order concerned ten children who had not qualified for medical
exemptions under the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices or American
Academy of Pediatrics guidelines. The board noted:
Stoller was not the treating physician for any of them—the
parents brought them in expressly to buy medical exemptions.
Stoller did not ask for any child’s medical records or consult
any child’s treating physician.
The cost of the exemptions ranged from $400 to $600 per child.
Stoller estimated that he had issued about 500 such exemptions
between 2016 and 2019, using a similar protocol for each request.
Stoller has promoted the false notion that vaccines cause autism.
He has also promoted
hyperbaric oxygen to treat autism even though supportive
evidence for this is lacking. Stoller’s lawyer has announced
that he intends to appeal the board’s decision. [Reiss
D. Dr.
Ken Stoller medical license revoked – baseless vaccine exemptions.
Skeptical Raptor, Feb 21, 2021]
Attorneys
General urge Facebook and Twitter to deplatform anti-vaxxers (Consumer Health
Digest #21-16 - April 25, 2021)
Thirteen state attorneys
general have expressed their concerns in a
letter to the Chief Executive Officers of Facebook and Twitter
about the use of their platforms to distribute fraudulent information
about coronavirus vaccines. These falsehoods, the letter stated,
“are threatening the health of our communities, slowing progress
in getting our residents protected from the virus, and undermining
economic recovery in our states.” The letter further stated:
As safe and effective vaccines become available, the end of this
pandemic is in sight. This end, however, depends on the widespread
acceptance of these vaccines as safe and effective. Unfortunately,
misinformation disseminated via your platforms has increased vaccine
hesitancy, which will slow economic recovery and, more importantly,
ultimately cause even more unnecessary deaths. A small group of
individuals use your platforms to downplay the dangers of COVID-19
and spread misinformation about the safety of vaccines. These
individuals lack medical expertise and are often motivated by
financial interests. According to a recent report by the Center
for Countering Digital Hate, so-called “anti-vaxxer”
accounts on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter reach more
than 59 million followers. . . .
The updated community guidelines you have established to prevent
the spread of vaccine misinformation appear to be a step in the
right direction. However, it is apparent that Facebook has not
taken sufficient action to identify violations and enforce these
guidelines by removing and labelling misinformation and banning
repeat offenders. . . .
Twitter and Facebook have yet to remove from all their platforms
the accounts of prominent “anti-vaxxers” who have repeatedly
violated the companies’ terms of service. Digital media research
groups estimate that as of March 10, 12 “anti-vaxxers’”
personal accounts and their associated organizations, groups and
websites areresponsible for 65% of public anti-vaccine content
on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. . . .
We call on you to take immediate steps to fully enforce your companies’
guidelines against vaccine misinformation. By effectively rooting
out fraudulent information about coronavirus vaccines, you can
prevent needless illness and death and hasten our road to recovery.
Dr. Sherri
Tenpenny’s COVID-19 misinformation gospel spotlighted (Consumer Health
Digest #21-37 - September 19, 2021)
A Religion News
Service report describes how Sherri Tenpenny, an osteopathic
doctor from Cleveland, Ohio, appeals to Christian nationalism
in promoting COVID-19 misinformation:
In testimony in June before Ohio legislators, she claimed COVID-19
vaccines could “magnetize” people’s bodies
or allow them to “interface” with cellphone towers.
She also said: “For those of you who say you are Christians,
what will your life review look like at the end of your life?
Will the Lord say to you: ‘You coerced people into being
injected with this gene-modification technology that irreversibly
disrupts your chromosomes?’”
In one session of her “Happy Hour with Dr. T,”
a semiweekly Bible study on Instagram Live, she “implores
God to release the U.S. from the ‘tyranny of the mask,’”
argues America is founded “on your word,” and expresses
hope it will “return” to being “one country
under God.” In another session, she refers to vaccines
as a “bioweapon to damage your children” created
by “Satanists” who allow Black Lives Matter and
antifa activists to operate as a “front” to “drive
socialism through the heart of America, which turns into communism.”
In August at Bards Fest, a Christian nationalist gathering in
St. Louis she: (a) claimed the shots have no medical benefit,
make people sick and amount to a “sin” because
getting one involves “bowing to fear”; (b) said: “How
many stories are in the Bible about (Jesus) healing leprosy? Leprosy
back in the day, when Jesus was alive, was an incurable deadly
disease. Don’t you think he might be able to take care of
you in COVID, too?”; and (c) framed vaccine proponents
as murderous descendants of the biblical Nimrod.
[Jenkins
J. The gospel of Sherri Tenpenny: COVID-19 misinformation meets
Christian nationalism. Religion News Service, Sept 14, 2021]
Tenpenny was included among the “Disinformation
Dozen” identified by the Center for Countering Digital
Hate as responsible for 65% of anti-vaccine misinformation on
social media platforms.
Excellent
documentary about vaccine hesitancy available free. (Consumer Health
Digest #24-47 November 24, 2024)
“Shot
in the Arm” is an 87-minute documentary from Academy
Award-nominated filmmaker Scott Hamilton Kennedy and Executive
Producer Neil deGrasse Tyson. The documentary explores vaccine
hesitancy historically and in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It includes, as voices of reason and science, Paul Offit, M.D.,
Peter Hotez, M.D., and Anthony Fauci, M.D., and exposes the cynicism,
mendacity, and vaccine fear-mongering of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.,
Del Bigtree, Andrew Wakefield, and others. The documentary initially
aired on PBS on November 9, 2024. It is now available to stream
at no charge on pbs.org and via the free PBS app. It is also available
for iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon
Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
page
created: June
21st, 2015 and last updated:
December
10th, 2024