Anti-vaccine hysteria in the developed world

[IronBrig4]

Looking at this chart it would appear that deadly childhood diseases are making a comeback in the advanced world. While many cases can be attributed to recent immigrants, many outbreaks are due to native-born parents refusing to vaccinate their children. In the United States, these outbreaks are caused by a combination of religious fundamentalists (a megachurch community in Texas), libertarian zealots ("I don't want the government telling me how to raise my kid!"), and homeopathy/vegan fanatics. Most of the conspiracy theories focus on one article, long since proven false, suggesting that vaccines cause autism in children.

This also brings up an interesting issue: the psychological factors in conspiracy theories. Not only are conspiracy theorists convinced that vaccines will rewrite DNA or cause autism, but they are convinced that anybody who disproves them is part of the conspiracy. If confronted by a CDC report, then the government is out to get them. A report by the WHO means that the UN is trying to take over. If the medical and scientific communities debunk their one article that supports the conspiracy theory, then doctors and scientists are in on it too. There really is no arguing with conspiracy theorists because their persecution complex has them convinced that they're standing alone against an oppressive world.

So what do you think causes this resistance to vaccinations in other developed countries? With Canada, it looks like those outbreaks are in First Nations communities. Considering the poverty endemic in First Nations peoples, it's at least understandable.

[Roma_Victrix]

It's unfortunate that children have to die because of their own parents' stupidity, but hopefully there won't be a huge amount of fatalities due to this before these conspiracy theories die down and their supporters dwindle to 0.01% of the population (where it should be in a society of rational human beings).

[Gaidin]

Welcome to ten years ago.

[Denny Crane!]

Its silly but also a symptom of people not feeling able to trust government funded programs in the wake of the push against civil liberties and I expect this to get worse in the wake of spying allegations.

For the more educated this is not as big an issue as you can distinguish between government bs and government funded medicine along with peer review and independent testing, for others, not surprised this happens.

[IronBrig4]

The anti-vaccine crowd are even worse than the conspiracy theorists who believe the government is hiding UFOs. At least the latter don't spread childhood diseases.

[Denny Crane!]

One and the same

[Phier]

The face of evil. I wonder how many children's deaths she is responsible for.

[Gaidin]

The face of evil. I wonder how many children's deaths she is responsible for.

Not just her. Pretty much every co-host to The View gave her explicit or implicit endorsement when they gave her her job given how many mothers watch that show.

Personaly id go as far as saying that not vaccinating your children is practicaly child abuse.
We have a system that has reduced inflictions in the western world by huge margins but people still jump at things with little evidence or logic.

It's not that it's child abuse as such given the definitions, but you're looking at a system where the governments at all levels should literally have the ability to say that a child without records of vaccines can't go to school or participate in extracurricular activities until he has them on record because of the danger he's putting other children in.

[Earl Dibbles Jr]

I don't trust the government on a lot of things, but the idea that vaccines are there to make us drones and kill us is plain idiotic.

They're entitled to free speech, but they are harming their own children by not getting them vaccinated.

[Slydessertfox]

I don't trust the government on a lot of things, but the idea that vaccines are there to make us drones and kill us is plain idiotic.

They're entitled to free speech, but they are harming their own children by not getting them vaccinated.

They aren't just harming their own children though. This could effect other children that interact with them.

[conon394]

They aren't just harming their own children though. This could effect other children that interact with them.

Its also a public health issue and a cost to society - we don't allow people to drive w/o license or insurance, or practice a lot of profession w/o insurance or certification or get a building permit sans inspection. Vaccines preserve the public health of everyone I really don't see why people are allowed to opt out.

[Phier]

Vaccines preserve the public health of everyone I really don't see why people are allowed to opt out.

Unfortunately I think the slippery slope applies here. We already have people thinking they should be able to tell us how to eat too. Once you open the "the good of the many" to the point of forcing something into someones body with no potential of opting out, it opens that door for a lot of other things too.

[conon394]

Unfortunately I think the slippery slope applies here. We already have people thinking they should be able to tell us how to eat too. Once you open the "the good of the many" to the point of forcing something into someones body with no potential of opting out, it opens that door for a lot of other things too.

OK so that was a bit harsh, but I think at least we need to make them free, more available and spend a little more on making sure people have good info so they can get boosters and such. I just feel bad for kids raised by idiots - it would be nice if the 'state' could at least intervene passively I Dunno when you get your licenses or your student loan or something to try and at minimum inform people how stupid anti-vaccine hysteria is.

[Gaidin]

Unfortunately I think the slippery slope applies here. We already have people thinking they should be able to tell us how to eat too. Once you open the "the good of the many" to the point of forcing something into someones body with no potential of opting out, it opens that door for a lot of other things too.

The solution is as I noted earlier. There's a difference between telling someone how to eat and telling them they have to get their vaccines lest they endanger the other children at school or in the city's elementary basketball program. Get the vaccines or you can't come. You have options. Homeschool your kid. What's that you said? You have to work and bring home the bacon? Well then, you have an interesting choice to make, mom...

Food, which I realize may be you pulling a strange example just for example's sake, is a totally different demon that wouldn't endanger anybody else but the person if they didn't cooperate.

[IronBrig4]

Thanks for reminding me, Phier. While they're not exactly conspiracy theorists, there are some people who would rather trust a celebrity than an actual immunologist or scientist.

[knight of meh]

it doesn't help that it was ran by rag newspapers.. wasn't andrew wakefield the person who wrote the autism paper struck off?

and the Thiomersal controversy... oh god the stupidity thiomersal is a preservative that is mercury based , that face of evil above blames it for the cause of autism in her son now and recommends chelating treatment that "worked for him" never mind the risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest that these agents cause...

[sleepyx732]

Is this.. political?

I'm confused as to what was suppose to be accomplished here. So far I haven't seen much other then name calling. Is that the grand conclusion? Stupid(ity and) child killers? I highly doubt the entire anti-vaccine crowd can be explained so easily.

The OP said it himself, there is no arguing with conspiracy theorist. In fact, there's really no arguing with anybody. I say let people believe whatever the hell they want to believe and stop trying to save the world.

"I don't want the government telling me how to raise my kid!"

I don't see anything wrong with that.

[IronBrig4]

I don't see anything wrong with that.

There is something wrong when it affects public health. By not vaccinating their children, the anti-vaccine people are putting others at risk and compromising herd immunity. It also becomes expensive containing outbreaks just because a Christian Science missionary went to India before getting his jabs.

It's also political because the anti-vaccine hype seems to stem from political beliefs. In fact, the recent outbreak in Texas suggests that libertarian political attitudes contributed to it.

[Admiral Piett]

There is something wrong when it affects public health. By not vaccinating their children, the anti-vaccine people are putting others at risk and compromising herd immunity. It also becomes expensive containing outbreaks just because a Christian Science missionary went to India before getting his jabs.

It's also political because the anti-vaccine hype seems to stem from political beliefs. In fact, the recent outbreak in Texas suggests that libertarian political attitudes contributed to it.

That specific outbreak was caused by religious fundamentalism in a more conservative area, libertarian only in an extremely vague anti-government sense, but none of their ideals are in line with general libertarian philosophy. But in many of the other areas, it's also the vegan health hippies that are coinciding with the anti-GMO crowd that vaccines are causing more harm to their kids than preventing illness. That's definitely the case here in Austin. Never had so many stupid arguments with these idiots. Especially the nutritionists, chiropractors, and alternative medicinal doctors perpetuate this dangerous anti-vaccine message to their patients. And people will definitely listen because they have PhDs.

[craziii]

come on, why so surprised? I count at least 40% who will believe anything without thought.