Mark Hoofnagle has a PhD in physiology from the University of Virginia and is currently a 3rd year medical student. His interest in denialism concerns the use of denialist tactics to confuse public understanding of scientific knowledge.
Here and in other venues, we've written quite a bit about the tactics used in the anti-vaccination movement (or as I like to call it, the "infectious disease promotion movement (IDPM)"). Let's examine some less subtle tactics.
The disease promoters are good---very good. Take this, for instance:
From a public health department:
An alternative suggested by disease-promoters:
It's hard for the rational among us to compete with this garbage. We can talk until we're blue in the face (no pun intended) about how SIDS and vaccines have nothing to do with each other, but once the propaganda machine gets revved up, the battle is lost.
Only by vigorous, continuous, and accessible education can we fight this kind of zealotry.
Medicine & Health
Comments
It is that kind of stuff that makes this webpage so accurate:
http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/vaxliars1.htm
Oh, and another older website:
http://www.pathguy.com/antiimmu.htm
The NVIC would be more accurately called the National Vaccine DIS-information Cult. Their webpages lack references, and are not updated to reflect changes (unless it is stuff to scare folks).
Posted by: HCN | July 21, 2008 10:24 PM
Sometimes the propaganda is quite skilled and subtle. Take this for example: http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/07/earlier-vaccina.html, in which Mr. Blaxill convinces his readers, based on carefully chosed studies -- only those that point in the direction he likes -- that vaccination "causes" asthma. She my post on the same subject at http://epiwonk.com/?p=128 ("Childhood Vaccination Is Not Associated With Asthma"), which summarizes the most recent meta-analysis.
Posted by: Epi Wonk | July 22, 2008 3:30 PM
Sorry. I meant "See my post" -- not "She my post.."
Posted by: Epi Wonk | July 22, 2008 3:33 PM
Also: "carefully chosen studies" (rather than "carefully chosed"). (This is what happens when I try to type with a severe migraine headache combined with pain medication.)
Posted by: Epi Wonk | July 22, 2008 3:38 PM
Take heart,friends.Effective education(contra propaganda) can work.Think about how few people accepted or even understood the idea of global warming in 2000?
Posted by: Denice Walter | July 22, 2008 5:06 PM
Some organizations also said Vaccination might one of things that cause autism. They said, some people have weird body immunity that weak to vaccines and so several vaccinations at early age can trigger this body immunity to attack the brain and stomach, causing foods aren't digested properly, and so then these undigested foods transported by blood to brain and then the child would get autism.
I heard that from a book, and from that book I got references to websites. But I disappointed that most of them are commercial. Like the makers of the book's website ( www.autismndi.com ).
How to know if a knowledge is true? People can lie, even if they had some sort of degrees. Science itself isn't 100% accurate..
Posted by: rosiana | July 23, 2008 8:46 PM
Beware of websites that try to sell you stuff. Some books are like that too. The dreadful book called "How to Help your Brain Damaged Baby" by Glenn Doman was just a long advertisement for his expensive program in Pennsylvania (this was an antidote: http://www.amazon.com/No-Time-Jello-Berneen-Bratt/dp/0914797565/ ).
If you want to get decent medical information start at:
www.medlineplus.gov
Posted by: HCN | July 23, 2008 11:21 PM
Kill the Children of Stupid Douchebags might a more accurate title and description?
Posted by: blf | July 26, 2008 9:13 AM
On the anti-propaganda front:Air America's Ed Schultz fielded some calls from anti-vaxers, questioning their beliefs and effectively voicing his skepticism.On his next show, he spoke with Rep. Mike Doyle (D./Pa.) who,along with Chris Smith (NJ)leads the autism caucus(those two words appear "odd" together), who also exhibited skepticism about the vaccine/autism link, while expressing understanding "about why people might feel that way". The caucus supports education, early diagnosis, research, and assistance to families affected by autism.On the other hand,the "Great Leap Backward" continues, with Gary Null rallying his "millions of listeners"(sic) to call and e-mail governors, Congress, state reps, etc. so that they can overturn laws requiring vaccination,now focusing on California, after ther "great success"(sic) in NY.(Why do I listen to this dreck?So, I can report to you, friends)BTW, expect a new "hard-hitting" documentary:"Autism:Made in America".Really, I didn't make that up.
Posted by: Denice Walter | August 1, 2008 4:15 PM