The CDC’s updated recommended immunization schedule is being criticized for the inclusion of RSV and COVID-19 vaccines for children and older and pregnant adults. An anti-vaccine website published an article calling for COVID-19 vaccines to be removed from all immunization schedules, while several popular posts argue that people, particularly...
A former cardiologist who was fired and stripped of his board certification for promoting vaccine disinformation has co-authored two recent papers claiming that COVID-19 vaccines contribute to a large number of myocarditis deaths. One of the papers was published and withdrawn in 2021, relying entirely on VAERS data and highlighting...
Popular posts in English and Spanish are circulating false claims about HPV vaccine safety and effectiveness. The posts allege that HPV vaccines don’t prevent cancer and cause autoimmune diseases, miscarriages, birth defects, and young adult deaths. Risk level: Medium Recommendation: Vaccine opponents have been circulating myths about HPV vaccines...
A U.S. senator circulated conspiracy theories about the World Health Organization’s pandemic treaty, including claiming that the WHO chief and U.S. health officials “sabotaged” the pandemic response and promoted dangerous vaccines. Posts in English and Spanish falsely claim the treaty would give the WHO power over individual...
A New York State Supreme Court justice dismissed felony charges against two people who purchased fake COVID-19 vaccine cards to avoid New York City’s vaccine mandate. The felony charges were brought by Manhattan’s district attorney, who is now facing criticism on social media. Some posts claim that the...
Following a reported case of measles in Ohio, some social media users claimed the myth that reports of measles cases are a scare tactic meant to skew election results later this year. Others are baselessly accusing “illegal immigrants” of bringing measles into Ohio. Risk level: Medium Recommendation: These types of...
Last week, a Florida grand jury released its first interim report on COVID-19 vaccines, one year after Florida’s governor ordered an investigation. In the report, the grand jury raised concerns about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and the effectiveness of other COVID-19 mitigation measures, such as mask...
This week, a California political commentator and former presidential candidate shared an article on social media falsely claiming that COVID-19 vaccines have caused more deaths than the virus. The article cites a study that was peer-reviewed by two known vaccine opponents. Some social media users who commented on the post...
Welcome to the Health Care Infodemiology Brief, a newsletter for clinicians and other health care providers. In the final weeks of 2023, some old but persistent myths about COVID-19 vaccines reemerged. Florida’s surgeon general, who has a history of promoting false claims, called for a ban on mRNA COVID-19...
Welcome to the Health Care Infodemiology Brief, a newsletter for clinicians and other health care providers. Concerns about COVID-19 vaccine safety continue to cause vaccine hesitancy, fueled by a constant stream of misleading and false claims from vaccine opponents, including some prominent political officials. These anti-vaccine narratives are not original:...