American Scientist

The internet has become a powerful venue for the dissemination of misinformation fueled by antivaccine and antiscience movements. Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed vaccine hesitancy as one of 10 threats to global health—along with issues such as climate change and weak primary health care—highlighting the need for action and global support for curtailing vaccine-preventable diseases. The strength of the antivaccine movement began gaining traction in the early 2000s, concomitant with a cyber explosion of personal websites, blogs, and social media platforms. To this day, these same online platforms and networking sites continue to be the main drivers of misinformation.

Vaccine hesitation, primarily driven by misinformation and lack of trust, has influenced the resurgence of pathogens once considered to be eradicated, and these doubts will similarly dictate the outcome of current and future pandemics. As such, reluctance to vaccination hinders public health and poses socioeconomic burdens at a global scale. Thus, what can we do to minimize the negative consequences of antiscience movements? How can the same online platforms used for misinformation be repurposed to foster public engagement and trust through science communication? 

On November 20, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, hosted its final virtual presentation as part of this year’s COVID-19 Distinguished Lectureship Series. In a conversation-style presentation, Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, discussed the importance of vaccine diplomacy in times when misinformation and antiscience movements are clouding the public’s trust in scientific research. The recorded discussion is available here, and below are some live tweets with key takeaway points from this conversation. 

Hotez is an internationally recognized physician-scientist and prominent leader in the development of vaccines for neglected parasitic tropical diseases—such as schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, and Chagas disease—and coronavirus infections. Hotez has written numerous books and articles discussing the social aspects of vaccines and how to combat antiscience beliefs. He has received international recognitions, including the Award for Leadership in Advocacy for Vaccines from the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in 2019. In addition to his recurring presence on television and newspapers, you can stay up to date on his efforts by following him on Twitter. In addition to this lecture to our membership, American Scientist recently interviewed Hotez to discuss how the antivaccine movement presents challenges to public health. 

Live Tweets