The Anti-vax Movement is Even Worse than you Think

Dive deep into the dark history of the anti-vaccination movement in our latest video. From its roots in religious objections to the shocking Andrew Wakefield scandal, we uncover the origins, motivations, and devastating consequences of vaccine hesitancy. Don't miss this eye-opening exposé!

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[raylouis]

I had a woman in a "Mother's group" i attended around that time (2003-4). She was positive her twins were autistic as a result of the vaccines. I tried to ask her about what happened, which doctors she'd seen, if she was in touch with the local Autism support network. She called me a b*tch "like all the doctors" for not believing her....
Ran into her (by then ex) husband a few years later, asked about the kids - he had full custody because it turns out the kids were profoundly deaf and because she was so determined that it had to be autism caused by the vaccine she had refused to get their hearing checked and they missed out on so much early education (learning sign language etc) that the courts decided it was neglect.... She STILL thinks the girls are autistic and refuses to learn sign language....

[Benjamas-]

I wrote and published a research paper that had over 100 patients data, which pointed to a strong concordance between the data points being examined. Even then my written and presented conclusion was "requires more study and larger patient data set", to publish something with only a handful of patients and then go out and start espousing grand conclusions and links shows a stunning level of arrogance and unprofessional behaviour that anyone who actually sites or believes Wakefield has no understanding of, or a refusal to accept the reality of medical research.

[esteemedmortal]

Just because they’re not big pharma doesn’t mean they have your best interests at heart.

I did my senior thesis mostly on this garbage human being. I was proposing that the scope of research misconduct shouldn’t be limited to the mechanics of write-up of the story, but how that is disseminated to the public. Scientists have a responsibility to educate the public and not engage in pandering or fear-mongering.

This wasn’t a paper that happened to get caught up in media sensationalism, he actively worked to spread that message. That is pure, undiluted greed and self-centeredness. Doesn’t care how that hurt children, demonized Autistic people, and traumatized families thinking that with a simple appointment they had irrevocably ‘damaged’ their child.

[frtzkng]

Calling one of the worst persons to ever enter modern medicine history _a wanker and a fraud_ is such a violently British way to describe Wakefield and I love it

[michaelmayhem]

I'm still disappointed my covid-19 vaccine didn't give me free 5G reception.

[leegalen]

I'm just old enough to remember schoolmates in grade school disappearing forever thanks to polio. People who have never seen what the old diseases can do are so smug about their own and their children's safety.

[Aceinine]

Shout out to the 'birds aren't real' movement for orchestrating arguably the most elaborate satire of this misinformation effect.

[embyquinn]

When I was 11 years old, my mother and a group of other parents refused to let members of my class be vaccinated for measles. That year most of those who were not vaccinated fell ill. I was one of those. I nearly died. I was bedridden for weeks and lost about 30 percent of my hearing due to damage to my right inner ear.

Vaccinate your kids.

[ProffyChaos]

The internet was believed to be a tool for ending ignorance but instead, with social media algorithms prioritising engagement over facts, it allows people to simply ingrain that ignorance.

[lajoyalobos]

My vaccination was faulty, I still haven't become a 5G transmitter, nor have I developed superpowers involving magnetism.

[Brownyman]

The medical ignorance movement has gone far beyond anti-vaccination. My mother is going blind from glaucoma because she thinks the medical staff will microchip her during the surgery.

[MusicalRaichu]

I like how Simon states
"the human propensity to believe almost anything we are told assuming it is presented in a clear and authoritative manner"
while presenting it in a clear and authoritative manner.

[PlutoniumBoss]

"A wanker and a fraud." A truer and more concise description of a given human being has never been uttered.

[petertattum]

Well, being 66, I never had the MMR vaccine, but I did contract measles. I'm also autistic. Wakefield is indeed a 'wanker'!

[ViFang]

As a scientist familiar with the peer review process, I have to ask: why was the paper published in the first place? If there were clear flaws and inconsistencies how did this get past referees?
This was also a failure of the peer review system and a failure for scientific publishing.

[nicholascrow]

Another factor that the "vaccines cause autism" crowd look over or miss is that at the same time that this controversy was happening, knowledge and understanding of autism was starting to really take of. With increased awareness of autistic traits, there were more diagnosis's made that in the past were missed as only the most "severe" cases used to get diagnosed. Along with the issues with getting a diagnosis if you weren't a white male. There wasn't a sudden increase in Autism, we just got better at diagnosing it through better understanding.

[baddman]

So a family member gave me the "getting chipped" excuse for not getting vaccinated.
I look at him and ask "What's that in your pocket?"
He looks at me and says "My phone."
I look back at him and say "So they don't need to chip you. They already know where you are."

[severren]

I knew this had something to do with Andrew Wakefield
he was one of the most devastating in terms of vaccination rates decreasing to have impacted the medical field.

[girrl]

I've never understood why a parent would risk their child's life to supposedly "save" them from becoming autistic - as if autism is worse than death.

[RickinBaltimore]

I full expect this comment section to be calm and rational, and no controversy at all.