News

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CMO renews warnings of vaccine misinformation

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Australia’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) has issued a stark warning about the dangers of medical misinformation hindering childhood immunisation rates meeting their targets.
 
This week, Professor Tony Lawler told media he is worried the ‘misinformation and disinformation arms race will significantly hamper Australia’s ability to respond’.
 
‘It’s a really serious issue … I’d encourage people not to take guidance from social influencers,’ he said.
 
Childhood immunisation rates continue to fall across Australia, with the latest figures showing targets of 95% coverage rates for all age groups are again falling short at:

• 93.76% for all five-year-olds
• 90.72% for all two-year-olds
• 92.49% for all one-year-olds.

The exception is a 95.03% coverage rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander five-year-olds.
 
In response, Professor Lawler said he is concerned of low immunisation rates leading to widespread harm and death, particularly in the wake of a recent surge in cases of whooping cough, measles, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and meningococcal disease.
 
‘If we continue to see rising vaccine hesitancy and dropping vaccination rates, we will see real harm coming to Australian children and communities,’ he said.
 
‘And when I say real harm, I’m including deaths in that.’
 
While cost, inequity and access barriers all contribute to low immunisation rates, medical misinformation – particularly via social media influencers – shows no sign of slowing down.
 
That is, according to prominent anti-misinformation advocate and Melbourne GP, Dr Preeya Alexander.
 
‘Misinformation related to vaccines continues to be an ongoing issue on social media,’ she told newsGP.
 
‘It’s important that as GPs we are aware of what patients are being exposed to.’
 
Dr Alexander points to the example of the recent rollout of the RSV vaccine for pregnant women, where ‘inaccurate information’ circulated about the vaccine and pre-term birth risk.
 
‘People on social media were quoting statistics from a vaccine that had not [yet] been rolled out in Australia and fuelling confusion and anxiety for pregnant people,’ she said.
 
‘I’ve tried to debunk some of the misinformation on social media but it’s like a drop in the ocean when you realise how quickly this misinformation spreads,’ she said.
 
At the peak of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, medical misinformation and the ‘anti-vaxx’ movement plagued the efforts of GPs and other healthcare professionals in minimising spread of the virus.
 
Now, Professor Lawler is reiterating the importance of patients taking evidence-based advice from GPs and other healthcare professionals rather than ‘opinion or debunked misinformation and disinformation’.
 
Dr Alexander echoes these calls.
 
‘As GPs we really are at the forefront of prevention,’ she said.
 
‘We’re the people patients come and talk to when they are considering vaccinations for their newborn, toddler, themselves.
 
‘And we have a responsibility to know what they are seeing and hearing so that we can provide them with reliable and reputable information to alleviate their concerns and help them make an informed decision.’
 
In a society where social media and its influence shows no signs of disappearing, Dr Alexander is also calling for better public health campaigns to raise awareness of spreading medical misinformation.
 
‘Combating the misinformation is a huge part of our job now, on top of everything else on GPs’ plate already,’ she said.
 
‘We could do with much more support from government campaigns when it comes to supporting vaccine rollouts, like the recent RSV one, and combating misinformation.
 
‘We are lacking exciting, innovative campaigns that debunk misinformation and give people the key dot points they desire from a qualified health professional.’
 
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childhood immunisation disinformation medical misinformation social media vaccine hesitancy vaccines

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