1
|
Youssef A, Ulloa L. Ethical and Legal Debates on Vaccine Infodemics. Cureus 2024; 16:e52566. [PMID: 38371094 PMCID: PMC10874613 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.52566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the course of three and a half years, the global toll of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has claimed the lives of millions of individuals. Scientific breakthroughs, exemplified by mRNA vaccines, have emerged as crucial tools in saving numerous lives and fortifying our defenses against future pandemics. However, the battle against the virus has been complicated by the dissemination of misleading political and ethical information, resulting in avoidable fatalities. Recognizing this phenomenon, the term 'infodemics' has been coined to denote the proliferation of false or misleading information that hinders effective social responses. Given the historical prevalence of infodemics surrounding vaccinations, this discussion delves into the ongoing ethical and legal deliberations concerning vaccination mandates, an indispensable health intervention in the face of pandemics. Governments bear the responsibility of safeguarding their citizens, acknowledging the social requirements imposed by the collective well-being. The protection of both citizens and healthcare workers becomes paramount, considering the potential risks of infection and mortality associated with individuals refusing vaccination. Historically, governments have played a pivotal role in eradicating pandemics through the implementation of vaccine mandates. However, the contemporary landscape is marked by the infusion of political and misleading misinformation, presenting new challenges. Governments are now confronted with an ethical duty to ensure that citizens possess the necessary information to make informed decisions and safeguard their well-being. While grappling with the realization that extraordinary circumstances demand extraordinary responses, the lessons from past pandemics underscore the imperative of prioritizing public health, especially in the context of the high numbers of casualties worldwide. This discourse explores the ethical and legal dimensions surrounding vaccine mandates, with particular emphasis on their relevance to healthcare workers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ayman Youssef
- Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA
| | - Luis Ulloa
- Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pavia CS, Plummer MM. Lessons learned from the successful polio vaccine experience not learned or applied with the development and implementation of the COVID-19 vaccines. Curr Opin Immunol 2023; 84:102386. [PMID: 37651977 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2023.102386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
The eradication of polio during the latter half of the 20th century can be considered one of the greatest medical triumphs in history. This achievement can be attributed to the development of vaccines that received the public's almost unwavering acceptance of them, especially by parents who had been waiting/hoping for a medical breakthrough that would ensure that their children would not succumb to the devastating effects of infantile paralysis. Sixty years later, the worldwide population was now confronted with an equally devastating disease - Covid-19 - which by the 2020-2021 time period had reached pandemic levels not seen since the flu outbreak of 1918. Unlike polio, however, several vaccines against Covid-19 were rapidly developed and deployed due to advances in microbiologic and immunologic technology. But also, unlike the polio vaccine experience, there was not universal acceptance of the Covid-19 vaccines and this has led to continuation of the pandemic into 2023 (albeit at a reduced level). In addition, acceptance of the Covid-19 vaccines has been confronted with the uncertainty that they do not apparently prevent transmission in asymptomatic people, and the mutation rate of the virus requires periodic re-evaluation and possible upgrading of the vaccines. This review will focus on the various factors that have led to these contrasting attitudes toward these two different vaccines and how resistance and hesitancy to vaccine use can be overcome by implementing various measures, after introducing the key roles that the sciences of microbiology and immunology have played in vaccine development over the past 250+ years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charles S Pavia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, New York Institute of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
| | - Maria M Plummer
- Department of Clinical Specialties, New York Institute of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hosoda M. Vaccine Hesitancy in Japan: From a Perspective on Medical Uncertainty and Trans-Scientific Theory. F1000Res 2023; 11:1103. [PMID: 36726603 PMCID: PMC9849825 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.125159.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The development and dissemination of vaccines has made immunization possible and has led to the successful control and eradication of various infectious diseases in many parts of the world. However, even when vaccines that are said to be "effective" are offered, a certain number of people do not receive them, and this has become a problem known as "vaccine hesitancy". ItThe reason of "Vaccine hesitancy" is pointed out that there is not only because of the risk of contracting infectious diseases if they are not vaccinated, but also because of the lack of a collective immunity system. Vaccines are an effective means of acquiring immunity, but no matter how highly effective vaccines are developed, if the vaccination rate does not exceed a certain number, "herd immunity", which means that the risk of person-to-person transmission is reduced when a significant portion of the population becomes immune to, cannot be acquired. Therefore, how to increase the vaccination rate of the population is a major public health challenge. This paper reviews previous studies on "vaccine hesitancy" in Japan and analyzes people's hesitancy in terms of negative "rumors" about vaccines, risk perception of vaccine side effects, and sense of burden when receiving vaccinations. Then, the author will examine that the background of "vaccine hesitancy" is not only distrust of vaccines and risk perception of side effects, but also distrust of those who provide and promote vaccinations, such as medical professionals, government, and public administration. By using medical uncertainty which shows there are many unknowns and uncertainties in medicine and trans-scientific theory which indicates there are areas that science cannot answer this paper argues that the problem of "vaccine hesitancy" can be reduced if medical professionals and governments show sincere empathy and attitude toward victims of adverse vaccine reactions and those who hesitate to vaccinate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miwako Hosoda
- Faculty of Life Network Science, Seisa University, Yokohama, Japan,
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Herzig van Wees S, Dini S. The silent shot: An analysis of the origin, sustenance and implications of the MMR vaccine - autism rumour in the Somali diaspora in Sweden and beyond. Glob Public Health 2023; 18:2257771. [PMID: 37750434 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2023.2257771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
This article traces the origin, sustenance and implications of a persistent rumour that is responsible for low measles mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination uptake in the Somali diaspora in a number of countries across the globe. The rumour stipulates that the MMR vaccine - the silent shot - causes autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although the association between MMR and ASD is non-causal, and various public health initiatives have promoted health information campaigns, the rumour continues to circulate in the Somali diaspora in many countries, including Sweden. This paper shows that there are valid reasons for this. The findings from this paper draw on a systematic scoping review and qualitative interview data from Sweden. The results show that the Somali community experiences higher than average rates of ASD compared to the general population. Moreover, ASD does not exist in the Somali language or their home country, is considered a Western disease that only affects Somali children in the diaspora, and is a highly stigmatised disease. Also, the Somali diaspora has had negative experiences with ASD diagnosis and care. The rumour has been sustained by the absence of an answer to their ASD fear and through active diaspora networks on social media. The network that surrounds the rumour has arguably further helped to create an epistemic community for a community whose concerns have been silenced.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Samira Dini
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Nuwarda RF, Ramzan I, Weekes L, Kayser V. Vaccine Hesitancy: Contemporary Issues and Historical Background. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10101595. [PMID: 36298459 PMCID: PMC9612044 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10101595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccination, despite being recognized as one of the most effective primary public health measures, is viewed as unsafe and unnecessary by an increasing number of individuals. Anxiety about vaccines and vaccination programs leading to vaccine hesitancy results from a complex mix of social and political influences, cultural and religious beliefs, the availability of and ability to interpret health and scientific information, and personal and population experiences of health systems and government policies. Vaccine hesitancy is becoming a serious threat to vaccination programs, and was identified as one of the World Health Organization’s top ten global health threats in 2019. The negative impact of anti-vaccination movements is frequently cited as one of the major reasons for rising vaccine hesitancy amongst the general public world-wide. This review discusses the various issues surrounding vaccine hesitancy and the anti-vaccine movement, starting with the definitions of vaccine hesitancy and the anti-vaccine movement in their early history and in the modern era, before discussing the key drivers of vaccine hesitancy, particularly across different regions of the world, with a focus on various countries with low-, middle-, or high-income economies with different socio-economic populations. The review concludes with the impact of vaccine hesitancy on herd immunity and social, psychological, and public health measures to counter vaccine hesitancy.
Collapse
|
6
|
Kwok SWH, Vadde SK, Wang G. Tweet Topics and Sentiments Relating to COVID-19 Vaccination Among Australian Twitter Users: Machine Learning Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e26953. [PMID: 33886492 PMCID: PMC8136408 DOI: 10.2196/26953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 is one of the greatest threats to human beings in terms of health care, economy, and society in recent history. Up to this moment, there have been no signs of remission, and there is no proven effective cure. Vaccination is the primary biomedical preventive measure against the novel coronavirus. However, public bias or sentiments, as reflected on social media, may have a significant impact on the progression toward achieving herd immunity. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to use machine learning methods to extract topics and sentiments relating to COVID-19 vaccination on Twitter. METHODS We collected 31,100 English tweets containing COVID-19 vaccine-related keywords between January and October 2020 from Australian Twitter users. Specifically, we analyzed tweets by visualizing high-frequency word clouds and correlations between word tokens. We built a latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic model to identify commonly discussed topics in a large sample of tweets. We also performed sentiment analysis to understand the overall sentiments and emotions related to COVID-19 vaccination in Australia. RESULTS Our analysis identified 3 LDA topics: (1) attitudes toward COVID-19 and its vaccination, (2) advocating infection control measures against COVID-19, and (3) misconceptions and complaints about COVID-19 control. Nearly two-thirds of the sentiments of all tweets expressed a positive public opinion about the COVID-19 vaccine; around one-third were negative. Among the 8 basic emotions, trust and anticipation were the two prominent positive emotions observed in the tweets, while fear was the top negative emotion. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that some Twitter users in Australia supported infection control measures against COVID-19 and refuted misinformation. However, those who underestimated the risks and severity of COVID-19 may have rationalized their position on COVID-19 vaccination with conspiracy theories. We also noticed that the level of positive sentiment among the public may not be sufficient to increase vaccination coverage to a level high enough to achieve vaccination-induced herd immunity. Governments should explore public opinion and sentiments toward COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination, and implement an effective vaccination promotion scheme in addition to supporting the development and clinical administration of COVID-19 vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sai Kumar Vadde
- Discipline of Information Technology, Media and Communications, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia
| | - Guanjin Wang
- Discipline of Information Technology, Media and Communications, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Hofseth LJ. Getting rigorous with scientific rigor. Carcinogenesis 2018; 39:21-25. [PMID: 28968787 PMCID: PMC5862244 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgx085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lorne J Hofseth
- College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Tung A. The Needs of the Many. Anesth Analg 2016; 122:1239-41. [PMID: 27101481 DOI: 10.1213/ane.0000000000001214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Avery Tung
- From the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Wood-Harper J. Informing Education Policy on MMR: balancing individual freedoms and collective responsibilities for the promotion of public health. Nurs Ethics 2016; 12:43-58. [PMID: 15685967 DOI: 10.1191/0969733005ne757oa] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The recent decrease in public confidence in the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine has important implications for individuals and public health. This article presents moral arguments relating to conflicts between individual autonomy and collective responsibilities in vaccination decisions with a view to informing and advising health professionals and improving the effectiveness of education policies in avoiding resurgence of endemic measles. Lower population immunity, due to falling uptake, is hastening the need for greater public awareness of the consequences for the population. Vaccination refusals go hand in hand with responsibilities owed to future generations and society in not knowingly contributing to preventable harms. Issues such as parents’ rights are considered and balanced against: collective responsibilities for public health; permissibility of ‘free-riding’; conflicting duties of health professionals; and possible enforcement of vaccination. It is suggested that the arguments may form a persuasive tool for the practice of health professionals involved in informing and supporting parents’ vaccination decisions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janice Wood-Harper
- School of Community Health Sciences and Social Care, University of Salford, Greater Manchester, M6 6PU, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Feemster KA. Can building evidence move a persistent vaccine safety concern? Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2013; 22:1271-3. [PMID: 24285467 DOI: 10.1002/pds.3532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2013] [Revised: 09/15/2013] [Accepted: 09/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristen A Feemster
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Abramowicz JS. Ultrasound and autism: association, link, or coincidence? JOURNAL OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE 2012; 31:1261-1269. [PMID: 22837291 DOI: 10.7863/jum.2012.31.8.1261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) affect an estimated 1% of children in the United States. The etiology is probably multifactorial, including genetic components and exposure to infections, toxins, and other environmental factors, particularly unfavorable perinatal and neonatal conditions. There has been an increase in the frequency of diagnosis of ASDs over the last 20 years with a parallel increase in the use of obstetric diagnostic ultrasound, with prenatal ultrasound exposure mentioned as the possible main etiology for autism "epidemics." Central nervous system alterations have been described in ASDs, and certain similar changes have been described in animals after exposure to ultrasound. However, analysis of in utero exposure in humans has failed to show harmful effects in neonates or children, particularly in school performance, attention disorders, and behavioral changes. There is no independently confirmed peer-reviewed published evidence that a cause-effect relationship exists between in utero exposure to clinical ultrasound and development of ASDs in childhood. Ultrasound is a form of energy with effects in the tissues it traverses, and its use should be restricted to medical indications, by trained professionals, for as short a period and as low an intensity as compatible with accurate diagnosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacques S Abramowicz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Rush Fetal and Neonatal Medicine Center, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Rao TSS, Andrade C. The MMR vaccine and autism: Sensation, refutation, retraction, and fraud. Indian J Psychiatry 2011; 53:95-6. [PMID: 21772639 PMCID: PMC3136032 DOI: 10.4103/0019-5545.82529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
|
13
|
|
14
|
|
15
|
|
16
|
Dennehy PH. Active immunization in the United States: developments over the past decade. Clin Microbiol Rev 2001; 14:872-908, table of contents. [PMID: 11585789 PMCID: PMC89007 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.14.4.872-908.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified immunization as the most important public health advance of the 20th century. The purpose of this article is to review the changes that have taken place in active immunization in the United States over the past decade. Since 1990, new vaccines have become available to prevent five infectious diseases: varicella, rotavirus, hepatitis A, Lyme disease, and Japanese encephalitis virus infection. Improved vaccines have been developed to prevent Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcus, pertussis, rabies, and typhoid infections. Immunization strategies for the prevention of hepatitis B, measles, meningococcal infections, and poliomyelitis have changed as a result of the changing epidemiology of these diseases. Combination vaccines are being developed to facilitate the delivery of multiple antigens, and improved vaccines are under development for cholera, influenza, and meningococcal disease. Major advances in molecular biology have enabled scientists to devise new approaches to the development of vaccines against diseases ranging from respiratory viral to enteric bacterial infections that continue to plague the world's population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P H Dennehy
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
American Academy of Pediatrics: The pediatrician's role in the diagnosis and management of autistic spectrum disorder in children. Pediatrics 2001; 107:1221-6. [PMID: 11331713 DOI: 10.1542/peds.107.5.1221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary care physicians have the opportunity, especially within the context of the medical home, to be the first point of contact when parents have concerns about their child's development or behavior. The goal of this policy statement is to help the pediatrician recognize the early symptoms of autism and participate in its diagnosis and management. This statement and the accompanying technical report will serve to familiarize the pediatrician with currently accepted criteria defining the spectrum of autism, strategies used in making a diagnosis, and conventional and alternative interventions.
Collapse
|
18
|
Technical report: the pediatrician's role in the diagnosis and management of autistic spectrum disorder in children. Pediatrics 2001; 107:E85. [PMID: 11331735 DOI: 10.1542/peds.107.5.e85] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism and its milder variants are not rare. Most pediatricians will have the opportunity to provide a medical home for a child with autism. This technical report serves to complement and expand on the information in the accompanying policy statement to increase the pediatrician's fund of knowledge and comfort level in caring for children with autism. In so doing, it is anticipated that earlier diagnosis and referral for appropriate intervention will be possible and that this will, in turn, have a positive effect on long-term outcomes for children with autism and their families.
Collapse
|
19
|
Affiliation(s)
- H McPhillips
- Child Health Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Roberts GT. MMR vaccination and autism. Lancet 1999; 354:951. [PMID: 10489979 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(05)75698-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|