In 2007, Jenny McCarthy appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s show to discuss her son Evan’s autism, claiming to have learned from “The University of Google.” This marked the beginning of her influential role in promoting the harmful notion that vaccines cause autism, despite extensive evidence to the contrary. McCarthy joined a wave of “mommy bloggers” spreading similar disinformation during a time when the medical community often marginalized women’s health concerns, which fostered suspicion and mistrust about vaccines.
The disinformation gained traction online, particularly after Andrew Wakefield published a flawed 1998 study linking the MMR vaccine to autism, leading to a widespread belief in a vaccine-autism connection. Despite the study’s retraction and Wakefield losing his medical license, his ideas proliferated on social media, creating a troubling environment for public health discussions and casting doubt on vaccine safety.
The emergence of anti-vaccine sentiment intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, with figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. using platforms like Twitter to promote vaccine skepticism, stemming from earlier anti-vaccine campaigns. The influx of conspiracy theories and disinformation was compounded by external influences, including Russian trolls, which further undermined public trust in vaccines.
Political figures like Donald Trump also fueled the anti-vaccine narrative, asserting links between vaccines and autism in public platforms. As the pandemic unfolded, anti-vaccine rhetoric escalated, positioning anti-science advocates in powerful government roles, notably Kennedy in the Department of Health and Human Services, where he actively pushed disinformation about vaccines and autism while dismissing established scientific consensus and advisory boards.
The intertwining of disinformation, social media, and political exploitation has created an environment where anti-scientific beliefs are normalized, seriously threatening public health initiatives and trust in scientific institutions.
