The anti-vaccine groups serve as hubs for inaccurate claims about vaccines or unproven alternative treatments, such as high doses of vitamin C. One Facebook group, “Stop Mandatory Vaccination,” has more than 150,000 members.
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, recently met with Facebook employees to share her concerns over the anti-vaccine pages.
“Facebook should prioritize dealing with the threat to human health when falsehoods and misinformation are shared,” she told The Guardian. “This isn’t just self-harm, it’s community harm.”
Facebook did not reply to The Guardian‘s request for comment on the anti-vaccine groups.
More articles on clinical leadership & infection control:
Formulary restriction, preauthorization can help reduce restricted antibiotic use
Former Mount Carmel physician linked to patient deaths overrode pharmacists’ safety warning, report says
Why combining nurse perspective with scientific approach improves care