The Infodemiology Brief —

Misleading attacks on childhood vaccines continue

As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was questioned about his anti-vaccine stances during his senate confirmation hearings for HHS secretary, false narratives about childhood vaccines circulated. Many myths that Kennedy previously promoted resurfaced online, including the false link between childhood vaccines and autism. A non-credible and non-peer-reviewed paper published on a blog days before the hearings claimed that vaccines cause developmental disorders. In addition, social media users discussed how West Virginia is set to allow nonmedical exemptions for school immunizations, an increasingly common tactic championed by the anti-vaccine movement. Meanwhile, federal funding of mRNA vaccines and AI research fueled conspiracy theories about vaccine safety.    

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Trending narratives from the past month

Blog publishes dubious “study” falsely linking childhood vaccines to developmental disorders
On January 23, a WordPress blog masquerading as a scientific journal published a non-peer-reviewed paper falsely claiming to have found an association between childhood vaccines and neurodevelopmental disorders. The “study” was funded by an anti-vaccine organization and, in lieu of undergoing independent peer review, was “reviewed” by a physician known for promoting anti-vaccine conspiracy theories who sells hoax vaccine detox products. Popular social media accounts circulated the paper, falsely claiming that it is peer-reviewed and that it proves that vaccines cause autism. Many experts have highlighted the paper’s complete lack of credibility, citing the decades of large-scale, peer-reviewed studies that have conclusively disproved any link between vaccines and autism. Some commenters speculated that the paper’s publication was timed to legitimize a popular anti-vaccine myth days before Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearings. Read the fact checks here and here.

West Virginia allows nonmedical exemptions for school vaccinations
West Virginia’s governor issued an executive order that will allow religious exemptions for school immunizations. Prior to the order, the state was one of five states to prohibit all nonmedical exemptions and had the highest childhood immunization rates in the country. Health officials and health care providers immediately expressed concern that an increase in exemptions may make the state vulnerable to vaccine-preventable outbreaks. Some social media users criticized the decision as “ignorant” and dangerous, while others celebrated the decision and called for other states to follow suit. Read the fact checks here and here. 

Controversy circulates over federal funding of mRNA vaccine research
Recent announcements that the federal government is funding mRNA flu vaccines and an AI infrastructure reignited online debate about the safety of mRNA vaccines. On January 17, the Biden administration announced $590 million to support Moderna’s development of mRNA-based vaccines against potential pandemic flu viruses, including H5N1 bird flu. The announcement drew immediate criticism from vaccine opponents who continue to claim without evidence that mRNA vaccines are “deadly.” Social media users claimed that the government is using vaccines to harm the public and repeated the debunked myth that mRNA vaccines cause or accelerate cancer. Several posts suggested that flu vaccines are unnecessary and expressed distrust of all vaccines. Days after the announcement, President Donald Trump announced a $500 billion investment in an AI infrastructure, leading some to speculate that the technology would be used to develop new mRNA vaccines against cancer and other diseases. Some vaccine conspiracists claimed that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are causing the cancers that will be targeted by new mRNA cancer vaccines. Read the fact checks here and here.

What you might say in response

Decades of peer-reviewed research conclusively show the safety of childhood vaccines.

  • A recent paper falsely claimed that childhood vaccines are linked to developmental disorders. The paper, which was published on a blog, is not a legitimate study; wasn’t peer-reviewed; was funded, written, and “reviewed” by well-known anti-vaccine figures; and relied entirely on observational insurance billing data. 
  • Peer-reviewed studies in credible academic journals consistently show that childhood vaccines are safe and are not linked to any developmental disorder, including autism.  
  • Autism affects unvaccinated and vaccinated children at the same rate, and countries with dramatically different autism rates have nearly identical childhood immunization rates.

The childhood immunization schedule is based on decades of evidence showing that vaccines are safe and save lives.

  • False claims about the safety of childhood vaccines or the childhood immunization schedule are not based on scientific evidence. They are promoted by anti-vaccine figures to make parents afraid of vaccinating their children. 
  • The childhood immunization schedule was developed by medical and public health experts to best protect children and reduce the spread of deadly and debilitating diseases.
  • The false narrative that skipping or delaying vaccinations is safer puts children at unnecessary risk of preventable diseases.

mRNA vaccines are safe, life-saving, and backed by decades of research. Advancements in the technology could help us prevent and treat deadly diseases.

  • Groups of people have opposed every medical innovation in history, from early immunizations and handwashing practices to antibiotics and organ transplants. The current opposition to mRNA-based treatments is no different.
  • Researchers have been working since the 1980s to ensure that mRNA vaccines are safe and effective. mRNA technology advancements in the 2000s allowed for rapid innovation in the field, culminating in the development of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.   
  • mRNA technology has already had a huge impact on vaccine science, and many new vaccines will likely be mRNA-based. mRNA vaccines and therapies undergo the same rigorous safety screening and approval process as every drug on the market.

What we’re reading

Studies and trainings

Interested in learning more about how to debunk false claims with patients? Check out the new Infodemiology Training Program. In videos that range from 5 to 10 minutes each, the program introduces health care providers to the basics of infodemiology and provides you with actionable skills to help improve patient care. Get started today.

Quick response media assets

Below, we’ve provided a social media asset in English and Spanish. Use these assets on social media to fight false claims and help provide your network with accurate information. Just right-click the asset, or press and hold on mobile, to download.

Proposed social copy:
You may hear false claims about the safety of childhood vaccines or immunization schedules. These claims are fear-based, not science-based. The childhood immunization schedule was developed by medical and public health experts to best protect children and their communities from preventable diseases. 

Publicación propuesta:
Puede que escuches alegatos falsos sobre la seguridad de las vacunas o de los calendarios de vacunación infantil. Estos alegatos se basan en el miedo, no en la ciencia. Expertos médicos y de salud pública desarrollaron el calendario de vacunación infantil para brindar a los niños y sus comunidades la mejor protección contra las enfermedades prevenibles.

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