Vaccine Criticism on the Internet
Author Information
Author(s): Richard K Zimmerman, Robert M Wolfe, Dwight E Fox, Jake R Fox, Mary Patricia Nowalk, Judith A Troy, Lisa K Sharp, Nasir L Leask
Primary Institution: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Hypothesis
What are the common characteristics and ethical allegations found on vaccine-critical websites?
Conclusion
Vaccine-critical websites frequently make serious allegations that may lead to increased vaccine refusal among parents.
Supporting Evidence
- 91% of websites attribute specific illnesses to vaccinations.
- 83% of websites claim vaccines contain contaminants that cause adverse events.
- 79% of websites state vaccines provide only temporary protection.
- 76% of websites make emotive appeals for responsible parenting.
- 70% of websites allege civil liberties violations due to mandatory vaccination.
Takeaway
Some websites say vaccines can cause serious health problems, which makes some parents not want to vaccinate their kids.
Methodology
A structured web search was conducted using a metasearch program to identify vaccine-critical websites, which were then reviewed for specific characteristics.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in the interpretation of website content by reviewers.
Limitations
The study did not review non-English sites, which limits generalizability, and interrater reliability was good but not excellent.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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