The Infodemiology Brief

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...

In the last month, routine vaccines were subjected to unfounded criticism and false claims from high-profile political figures. President-elect Donald Trump and people affiliated with his proposed health team promoted the myth that childhood vaccines cause autism and questioned the safety of polio vaccines. Meanwhile, Louisiana health officials restricted the...

Over the last month, the results of the U.S. presidential election and the nominees selected for the incoming administration’s health team have dominated online vaccine conversations as high-profile political figures escalated attacks on routine and COVID-19 vaccines. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance claimed on a popular podcast to...

In recent weeks, myths about COVID-19 vaccine safety recirculated online as vaccine opponents targeted vaccines meant for the most vulnerable populations. The CDC’s recommendations for additional immunizations for older and immunocompromised individuals garnered a mixed response online. A non-peer reviewed study was used to falsely claim that only mRNA...

This past month, a new survey found widespread apathy and hesitancy about respiratory diseases and fall vaccines among U.S. adults, with less than 40 percent planning to get vaccinated. Results from the survey were published less than two weeks after the Florida surgeon general released another statement contradicting federal...

New data published in August underscores the real-world consequences of false and misleading narratives about vaccines, as public trust in routine immunizations dipped to historic lows. The mainstreaming of anti-vaccine rhetoric has given high-profile vaccine skeptics an even larger platform to attempt to discredit vaccines, new and old. False claims...

With a new school year and respiratory disease season rapidly approaching, vaccinations of all kinds are under attack online. Opposition to school vaccine requirements continues to grow as two presidential candidates recently promoted myths about routine vaccine safety. Adding to this false narrative are vaccine opponents who are using a...

Old myths rarely die in anti-vaccine conversations—they’re simply recycled. Two recent papers resurfaced discredited claims about COVID-19 vaccine safety, sparking days of contentious online discussions. Meanwhile, a second state official has launched a lawsuit against Pfizer, following the Texas attorney general’s anti-vaccine playbook. The lawsuit, like the...

Although vaccine skeptics and opponents are the most frequent purveyors of false claims about COVID-19 vaccines, sometimes more legitimate sources unwittingly help circulate misleading narratives. The amplification of alleged vaccine injuries by vaccine opponents creates an environment in which even good-faith attempts to discuss vaccine safety can add fuel to...

Bird flu has been in the headlines lately, so we’d like to point you to a helpful resource: Our new report describes how online discussions about H5N1 are recycling narratives about COVID-19. Take a read, and feel free to also check out our report on trending measles narratives, other...