The Impact of the Anti-science on General and COVID-19 Vaccine Refusal Across the U.S., Europe, and the Low- and Middle-Income Countries of Africa and Latin America

Small groups of people have historically expressed hesitancy or refused vaccines for over 100 years. Traditionally, these behaviors were associated with religious beliefs. Nonetheless, anti-vaccine misinformation impacts the rate of vaccine uptake and significantly increases the rate of vaccine hesitancy and refusal, creating a greater global public health issue. Using medical populist rhetoric, such as medical freedom messaging, coupled with the mass dissemination of dis- and misinformation, as well as conspiracy theories, the use of social media has increased the reach and accelerated the spread of false and misleading information, all while politicizing vaccines and vaccinations. This has created stronger communities of people on and offline that challenge conventional science, vilify scientists, and drive mistrust in healthcare providers and systems of healthcare, as it pushes a public agenda resulting in poor public health policy that increases public health risk to vaccine-preventable disease. The anti-vaccine movement has made coalitions with far-right political leaders who also embrace medical populist rhetoric, spread medical freedom messaging, mis- and disinformation, as well as conspiracy theories both in traditional and social media, which contributes to the poor public health policy. This public health issue will only worsen if it is not addressed with better intervention strategies that address the spread of false and misleading information.