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Cited by 292Misinformation and Its ImpactsVaccine Coverage and HesitancyHealth Literacy and Information Accessibility

Vaccine criticism on the world wide web

Open access
Zimmerman, Richard K, Wolfe, Robert M, Fox, Dwight E, Fox, Jake R, Nowalk, Mary Patricia, Troy, Judith A, Sharp, Lisa K·2005·Journal of Medical Internet Research
DOI 10.2196/jmir.7.2.e17
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases is directly related to the number of unvaccinated children. Parents who refuse vaccination of their children frequently express concerns about vaccine safety. The Internet can influence perceptions about vaccines because it is the fastest growing source of consumer health information. However, few studies have analyzed vaccine criticism on the Web. OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this paper are to examine vaccine criticism on the Internet and to analyze the websites in order to identify common characteristics and ethical allegations. METHODS: A structured Web search was conducted for the terms "vaccine," "vaccination," "vaccinate," and "anti-vaccination" using a metasearch program that incorporated 8 search engines. This yielded 1138 Web pages representing 750 sites. Two researchers reviewed the sites for inclusion/exclusion criteria, resulting in 78 vaccine-critical sites, which were then abstracted for design, content, and allegations. RESULTS: The most common characteristic of vaccine-critical websites was the inclusion of statements linking vaccinations with specific adverse reactions, especially idiopathic chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, autism, and diabetes. Other common attributes (> or = 70% of websites) were links to other vaccine-critical websites; charges that vaccines contain contaminants, mercury, or "hot lots" that cause adverse events; claims that vaccines provide only temporary protection and that the diseases prevented are mild; appeals for responsible parenting through education and resisting the establishment; allegations of conspiracies and cover-ups to hide the truth about vaccine safety; and charges that civil liberties are violated through mandatory vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccine-critical websites frequently make serious allegations. With the burgeoning of the Internet as a health information source, an undiscerning or incompletely educated public may accept these claims and refuse vaccination of their children. As this occurs, the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases can be expected to rise.

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  • Analyses of YouTube videos critical of HPV vaccinations and anti-vaccination blogs have revealed widespread conspiratorial content.

    “Likewise, analyses of YouTube videos critical of HPV vaccinations [28] and anti-vaccination blogs [29] have revealed widespread conspiratorial content.”

    From The Role of Conspiracist Ideation and Worldviews in Predicting Rejection of Science (2013) · cites this paper as [29]

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Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Lewis GA; Institute of Medicine. Immunization Safety Review: Multiple Immunizations and Immune Dysfunction (The Compass series). Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2002.
  2. ; Institute of Medicine. Immunization Safety Review: Hepatitis B Vaccine and Demyelinating Neurological Disorders. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2002.
  3. Friedlander ER. Opposition to immunization: a pattern of deception. Sci Rev Alternative Med 2001;5(1):18-23.
  4. ; National Network for Immunization Information. Home page. URL: http://www.immunizationinfo.org/ [accessed 2005 Jun 14] submitted 28.01.05; peer-reviewed by L Nasir, J Leask; comments to author 25.02.05; revised version received 16.05.05; accepted 08.06.05; published 29.06.05 Please cite as: Zimmerman RK, Wolfe RM, Fox DE, Fox JR, Nowalk MP, Troy JA, Sharp LK Vaccine Criticism on the World Wide Web J Med Internet Res 2005;7(2):e17 URL: http://www.jmir.org/2005/2/e17/ doi: 10.2196/jmir.7.2.e17 PMID: 15998608

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Authors
Zimmerman, R. K., Wolfe, R. M., Fox, D. E., Fox, J. R., Nowalk, M. P., Troy, J. A., & Sharp, L. K.
Affiliations
  • University of Pittsburgh (US)
  • Northwestern University (US)
Corresponding author
Zimmerman, Richard K
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Publisher
JMIR Publications Inc.
Published
2005-06-29
Volume
7
Issue
2
Pages
e17
ISSN
1438-8871 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.2196/jmir.7.2.e17
OpenAlex
W2086763119
Cited by
292
References
32
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 9
FWCI
22.99
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Journal of Medical Internet Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U66/CCU719217-03)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Misinformation and Its Impacts
  • Social Sciences › Health › Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Literacy and Information Accessibility
Keywords
vaccine safety, online health information, vaccine refusal, vaccine adverse events, conspiracy theories, mandatory vaccination, civil liberties, vaccine-preventable diseases
MeSH terms
Chronic Disease, Consumer Advocacy, Drug Contamination, Health Education, Humans, Immunization, Information Services, Parents, Vaccines, Treatment Refusal, Internet

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