6.1.4 Research Paper

Introduction

In recent years, the anti-vax community has grown significantly in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. The community is not a new one, however, as opposition to vaccines and anti-vax presumptions can be seen as far back as the 18th century. These ideas originated primarily due to religious, moral, and political reasons. Members of the anti-vax community believe that there are safer and more effective routes to take toward immunity and would rather refrain from getting vaccines. Anti-vaxxers may not reject vaccinations entirely, but their skepticism and concerns often lead to a huge delay in vaccination. Natural remedies are typically their first resort, which are used to strengthen the immune system and hopefully gain immunity naturally rather than through the aid of vaccines.

Said natural remedies include cinnamon, honey, cranberry juice, tea tree oil, grapefruit, garlic, and eucalyptus, to name a few. Cinnamon, for example, is said to have anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants, anti-HIV, and insecticidal activity. Naturopathic doctors who study non-toxic ways to prevent illness recommend herbal decoctions to improve respiratory health and protect against viral infections. The main ingredients of one such decoction includes things like “…[cinnamon], Tulsi leaves, ginger, pepper, turmeric powder, and water.” According to the practice of Ayurveda, a plant-based science, the use of cinnamon and honey alone can treat almost any health problem (Arora et al., 2021).

Natural methods are also quite common when it comes to the prevention or cure of a urinary tract infection (UTI). For urinary tract infections, cinnamon prevents the spread of bacteria and reduces the inflammation that causes painful urination. Cranberry works like a natural antibiotic and tea tree oil fights against the bacteria that causes a UTI. Garlic is said to reduce inflammation and provide support for the immune system (Pulipati et al., 2017). Evidently, natural remedies are multi-purposeful when it comes to their different healing methods and illnesses that they affect. Such plants or concoctions can be used to treat skin irritations, arthritis pain, bladder infections, gums, tooth infections, regulate cholesterol, help with weight loss, prevent fat buildup, and soothe the cold and flu.

Obviously, these natural practices can have many health benefits, though they may not work for every person or every illness. In some cases, natural alternatives are not strong enough to fight off infection, and antibiotics are needed. For example, some people drink tea with honey when they have a cold to help their throat. Honey is thought to help soothe one’s throat and the sugar in it aids in providing them energy. However, in many instances, people also take cough medicine or Advil to help their body fend off the ailment. In this case, the tea and honey can help soothe someone’s throat but it is common that stronger methods are needed to quickly recover or ensure the sickness does not get worse.

A common belief held by many anti-vaxxers is the idea that natural remedies can and should be used in practically all situations. While this seems a wonderful notion, the reality is that natural remedies are not consistent and reliable enough to ensure the best health for everyone. For example, natural medicine may not be strong or efficient enough for people with underlying health issues, such as an autoimmune disease. Those who are part of the anti-vax community may reason that, since they felt better or experienced reduced symptoms while utilizing a natural remedy, there is no further need for a vaccine. Incorrectly associating the reduction of symptoms with being cured, they may reach the conclusion that a vaccine is unnecessary. However, this is not always the case. In the process of getting sick in order to develop natural immunity, the person is not only liable to serious health concerns (depending on the severity of said illness) but also runs the risk of spreading the disease to other friends and family through contact.

Biology

To understand the role of vaccines in health and wellness, it is first necessary to understand how exactly the immune system works. According to “How do vaccines work?” (2020) by the World Health Organization, pathogens are disease-causing organisms that infect the body and immune system, leading to illness. Each type of pathogen has specific parts called antigens, which are what trigger the formation of antibodies. Antibodies act as the soldiers of the immune system in order to fight off pathogens; the human body has hundreds of different antibodies that act as protection from many different pathogens. When exposed to a pathogen, it takes the body time to respond and produce new, specific antibodies in order to dispose of the pathogen. The time it takes for the body to produce antibodies is the time it takes to get sick. Since each antibody is specific to a certain pathogen, the immune system does not have any prior antibodies to fight off the new pathogen. Once the body produces antibodies that are specific to the pathogen, the antibodies produce memory cells. These memory cells remain in the immune system even after the pathogen has been destroyed, and act as protection against the possibility that the same pathogen infects the body. Memory cells help keep people from getting sick with the same illness because the body already knows how to respond.

Vaccines contain weakened, inactive pieces of the antigen that trigger an immune response, which is the production of antibodies. Rather than getting sick and waiting for the immune system to go through the process of creating new antibodies, newer vaccines contain instructions on how to produce antigens. Receiving a vaccine will not cause the disease in the individual, but rather make the body’s immune system respond as if it was infected with the actual pathogen. In some instances when multiple doses of a vaccine are needed, the purpose is to allow for the production of longer-lived antibodies and the development of memory cells.

Vaccines are also more standardized and give people the ability to choose when they receive them. Conversely, an individual does not have control over natural immunity, and it can have a large range of effects whereas “vaccines are designed to create the most significant immune response without safety concerns” (Dinerstein, 2022).

Vaccines are one of the most effective methods in preventative medicine to protect society from diseases and infections. They have been proven to help decrease the amount of common childhood diseases, and have helped to almost completely eliminate some diseases, such as polio, worldwide (“How do vaccines work?”, 2020; Leung et al., 2018). The most recent misconception surrounding vaccines is the pushback to getting the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine because of the supposed connection to autism. The backlash against the MMR vaccine is partially due to a publication in “The Lancet” by British former researcher and physician Andrew Wakefield. Since the original article was published, there have been extensive amounts of research and studies done to disprove this misconception. Wakefield used flawed and unethical research methods to draw conclusions, which made it easy for other researchers to disprove his paper and the supposed association between the MMR vaccine and autism. In 2013, the CDC published a study confirming that vaccines do not cause autism. The study helped prove this by focusing on the number of antigens given via vaccinations during the first two years of a child’s life. The results showed that the total amount of antigen from the vaccine was the same between children with autism and those who did not have autism (DeStefano et al., 2013). However, given that the debate surrounding autism and vaccines is still ongoing, it is clear that the fear-mongering idea has taken hold. There has also been some speculation about an ingredient commonly used in vaccines called thimerosal. Thimerosal is a mercury-based preservative that prevents germs from contaminating vials of vaccines. According to a study done in 2004, it has been shown that there is no relationship between thimerosal and autism. The scientific review concluded, “the evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism” (Institute of Medicine, 2004). In addition to this study, there have been nine studies done since 2003 that disprove the connection between autism and vaccines, specifically the MMR vaccine.

There are more factors to consider when discussing the benefits of vaccinations. For example, herd immunity is the phenomenon in which everyone in a community becomes vaccinated to protect the well-being of the community as a whole. It creates a bubble of protection around the weaker or immuno-compromised members of the community. “Reaching herd immunity can protect entire communities and prevent pockets of disease from persisting” (Salim, 2012). However, due to increasing travel and global communities becoming more connected, there is a higher probability of pathogens getting passed on. Herd immunity protects against such a rapid infection; if everyone is vaccinated, then the likelihood of widespread sickness is limited and prevents future outbreaks of diseases (Hussain, 2018).

Psychology

The science of psychology studies how the human mind functions and can explain how external factors influence the way one thinks or acts. This is a vital area of study when considering anti-vax ideology, as it’s important to understand why people think the way they do about vaccinations and furthermore, what causes vaccine hesitancy or fear. Social media is a fairly recent development that has altered many things about the current political and social world. Pertaining to the topic of vaccines, it has also been greatly influential in the spread of misconceptions and false information. A study by Mitra et al. (2016) has found that many parents who choose not to vaccinate their children get their information from social media rather than from a professional source. It was also discovered that people who tout anti-vax ideas are more likely to use conspiratorial, but group-focused language in their social media posts. This can be an attractive gateway to those who “show similar conspiratorial ideation and suspicion toward the government even before they start expressing anti-vaccine attitudes.” Thus, misinformation and persuasion on social media are some of the biggest causes of vaccine misconception.

When discussing the topic of vaccinations, it’s easy to think that one might be able to convince those with vaccine hesitancy simply by throwing facts and information at the problem and expecting a result. However, it has been proven that this method is not only ineffective but can actually make the resistance to vaccines stronger in the individual addressed (Hornsey et al., 2018). Thus, it is important to recognize that those with anti-vax beliefs are not necessarily less educated or less intelligent than others, but rather that they are seeking and listening to sources of information that confirm their conspiratorial ideas. It is also evident that fear or hesitancy regarding vaccines often stems from a general mistrust in the government and healthcare industry. One example is the Vioxx and Bextra incident, where the seemingly harmless release of pain medications unknowingly caused an increase in mortality in those who took it. This and other incidents caused understandable mistrust among Americans toward the healthcare industry (Kim, 2018). However, though it is easy to see why such concerns are being put forth, the general fear regarding vaccines such as the COVID-19 vaccine has detrimentally decreased the rate of herd immunity. This leaves many members of society vulnerable to infectious diseases and overall creates a much greater risk. It is true that every vaccine will have possible side effects, just like every other medicine. There is always a consideration of potential costs and benefits in healthcare, but vaccines are fortunately one of the safest methods in preventative medicine. By having a greater understanding of the role that psychology plays in anti-vax beliefs, the better chance there is of being able to prevent further spread of misinformation and increase vaccination rates.

Political Science

As the US becomes increasingly more politicized, so do topics concerning issues such as vaccinations. Political parties on both sides of the issue have strong opinions about the rules and regulations surrounding immunizations. Especially with the rapid sense of urgency that came with COVID-19 vaccines, people are now more than ever conflicted about what is the right course of action.

State governments have the power and right to change certain laws depending on what they believe will contribute to the greater good of their state. Vaccine mandates fall into this category, which means that there is not a cut-and-dried policy across the United States. Publications about public health often follow the LRA, or Least Restrictive Alternative Principle when discussing topics like immunizations and autonomous rights. The LRA Principle states that “one should choose the policy option that least restricts liberty”, given that said options are equal in other respects (Navin et al., 2019). The state governments have been cracking down on vaccination mandates since before the pandemic. In 2019, public schools began requiring more vaccines than they previously did and the suggestion to get seasonal flu shots was becoming highly encouraged in larger populations. However, with the pandemic came conspirators and many others questioning the “requirement” of the mandate. Similarly, the claim that the government is trying to gain control or track the citizens of the United States is based on conspiracy and distrust of governmental authority.

The propaganda surrounding vaccinations has become extreme and harmful to the health and safety of the United States population. When making a decision regarding vaccinations, it is necessary to consider not only one’s health and physical well-being but also those with autoimmune diseases or otherwise compromised immune systems. As a number of people may be negatively affected, the consideration is of great importance and should be made using scientifically proven information. As discussed by Colgrove et al., (2010), being too forceful regarding vaccine mandates may lead to backlash, which “[…]underscores the need for careful, individualized assessment of the risks and benefits of each new expansion of the state’s reach into citizens’ health decisions.” Unfortunately, many seemingly neutral conversations on vaccines have become increasingly politicized. Rather than listening to a leader of a specific political party for education on vaccinations, it is important for people to conduct their own research stemming from credible, unbiased, and trustworthy sources.

Ethics

Another factor contributing to the spread of the anti-vax mindset is a combination of religious and personal beliefs. Religious upbringing, political beliefs, as well as one’s morals and values all play a role in the formation of opinions regarding vaccines. Recently, there has been a growing amount of religious communities refusing to vaccinate their children. Due to this and other reasons for vaccine hesitancy, the rate of vaccination for infectious diseases such as measles continues to drop below the World Health Organization’s recommended threshold (Giubilini, 2020; Salim, 2012). There has been a long-running debate in the Jewish religious community concerning whether or not the vaccination of children is morally sound according to their beliefs. A number of such communities “justify their resistance to inoculation on various religious grounds and make common cause with secular groups who oppose vaccination for their own reasons” (Rashi, 2021).

Christianity has also had an increasingly strong influence on anti-vax ideas, due to the fact that Christian beliefs often conflict with the ideas of science or medical experts. Studies have found that individuals are more persuaded by people who share common interests and values; therefore, Christians often look to other Christians when it comes to decisions regarding vaccinations. This bandwagon effect is not only seen in religious groups but also in political parties as previously discussed (Lavin 2020, pg. 95). The claim that “medical experts can build trust and motivate vaccination among religious groups by invoking a common religious identity” was tested in a recent study from the Departments of Sociology at both Columbia University and Stanford University. NIH Director Francis Collins is an unvaccinated (to COVID-19) Christian who was put to the test in this study. He began his video by proclaiming his “trust in Jesus as the source of all truth.” The study then measured the vaccination intentions of participants, their intentions to encourage others to vaccinate, and their trust in medical experts. The study found that these three ideas were significantly related to the individual’s religion. Because of these results, Stanford University and Columbia University highlighted the religious identities of many medical experts, proving that their ideas are complementary to those of the participants. The results of the study concluded that “invoking common religious identities with medical experts can lead to increases in vaccination intentions and willingness to encourage vaccination, even in a highly vaccine-hesitant population” (Chu et al., 2021). If an individual’s beliefs overlap with the beliefs of a medical expert, then that person will likely develop more reliability and trust in the medical experts, leading to a decrease in the anti-vax mindset.

Minority groups are also highly likely to have some level of vaccine hesitancy. African Americans turned out to be the ethnic group that was least likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine, which is directly linked to the doubt and suspicion of science and medical systems (Huang and Green, 2022). In a recent study, it was determined that the Coronavirus vaccine hesitancy was much higher in minority participants compared to white participants. Within these minorities there was a mistrust in the benefits vaccines offered, worries over the future effects of the vaccine, concerns about encouraging the vaccine just for profit, and the desire for natural immunity instead (Gerretsen et al., 2021). Previously, there has been a large degree of “exploitation and persecution” found in the United States healthcare system that has significantly affected the Black population. Examples of this exploitation can be found during the period of slavery. It was unfortunately common practice for physicians to use enslaved peoples for “involuntary medical experimentation for both developing cures and profit” (Rusoja and Thomas, 2021). Essentially, African Americans were terribly used as trial runs. It has been theorized that the distrust from Black communities concerning healthcare stems from this original discrimination and unequal treatment. The various racial injustices in America have unfortunately “created a culture of mistrust in medical research, clinical trials, and medical innovations within Black communities” (Restrepo and Krouse, 2021).

In his paper, “Science denial as a form of pseudoscience,” (2017) Sven Ove Hansson establishes a spectrum among pseudosciences that is based on whether they deny known science or promote lesser-known pseudo-theories. The anti-vax movement does not start any new theories and it is much more widely believed than anything else that falls under pseudo-theory promotion. This would qualify the belief as science denial, being that it goes against the proven science of vaccinations. Those in the anti-vax community deny that vaccines are the safest and most efficient way to get immunization. Instead, they reject scientific evidence and turn to natural remedies.

Hansson’s criteria for science denial makes it even more clear that anti-vax ideas fall very closely to the science denialism side of the spectrum. It meets the three criteria that Hansson outlines for science denialism: it pertains to the science of vaccinations (which largely involves biology and virology), most anti-vax information comes from unreliable sources such as people without any scientific or medical credibility, and those who are anti-vax often refer to themselves as the most reliable sources on the subject. The anti-vax pseudoscience also matches Hansson’s epistemological characteristics. People who are anti-vax often cherry-pick lots of information, such as the small percentage of blood clots that resulted from the COVID-19 vaccine. This example also shows how they neglect refuting information. They tend to fabricate fake controversies, such as how the government supposedly tracks people with microchips put in vaccines. Finally, anti-vax also meets the deviant criteria of assent characteristic because members of that community are known to reject any evidence given to them that disproves their beliefs. They always demand more information. Recognizing the anti-vax movement as science denialism is important when it comes to getting individuals to recognize the truth about vaccines; one must try to see their side of the matter and not act as if science is infallible and all-knowing (Hansson, 2019).

In some instances, it can be understandable why people have the anti-vax mindset, though it is vital for an individual to look into the matter carefully before deciding not to get a vaccine. Talking to health professionals and getting personalized medical advice is one of the best ways to receive all of the necessary information regarding vaccines. Medical professionals are knowledgeable of the most up-to-date information and can help people make the best decision possible for themselves and the community. In recent decades, herd immunity has become increasingly important to society as a whole. If there are enough people vaccinated against fast-mutating, highly contagious diseases, it is easy to prevent future outbreaks from occurring. Based on this knowledge and the information outlined thus far, immunization through vaccines is more efficient, effective, standardized, and safer when compared with natural immunity.

References

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, December 1). Autism and vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/autism.html  

Chu, J., Pink, S. L., & Willer, R. (2021). Religious identity cues increase vaccination intentions and trust in medical experts among American Christians. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(49). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2106481118

Colgrove, J., Abiola, S., & Mello, M. M. (2010). HPV vaccination mandates — lawmaking amid political and scientific controversy. New England Journal of Medicine, 363(8), 785–791. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmsr1003547

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