Misinformation from the Trump administration is cited as fuelling Canadians’ concerns over childhood vaccinations
Canadian authorities and public health experts are warning about the reliability of information disseminated by American health and scientific institutions, particularly regarding vaccination. They fear that misinformation spread by the Trump administration will further erode Canadians’ trust in the healthcare system.
“I can’t imagine a world where this misinformation doesn’t seep into the minds of Canadians and sow doubt,” said Dawn Bowdich, an immunologist and professor at McMaster University in Ontario.
These concerns have intensified since U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pursued an anti-vaccine stance. In December, a committee appointed by Mr. Kennedy voted to rescind a long-standing recommendation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advocating for the vaccination of all newborns against hepatitis B.
In November, the CDC also updated its website, under Mr. Kennedy’s leadership, stating that “studies have not ruled out the possibility that childhood vaccines cause autism,” a claim that leading public health experts have called false.
Bodish says the agency’s drift toward misinformation and its disengagement from its leadership role in public health make it harder to combat vaccine hesitancy in Canada.
In December, Canadian Health Minister Marjorie Michel warned that U.S. health and scientific institutions could no longer be relied upon for accurate information. In an interview with The Canadian Press, she said, “I can’t trust them as a reliable partner, no.” “Michelle also told CBC News that some Canadians could be influenced by Kennedy.”
The minister’s comments come at the end of a disastrous year for measles in Canada, which lost its measles-free status in November after more than 5,000 cases were reported nationwide.
Doctors point to declining childhood vaccination rates, limited access to family doctors, and the spread of misinformation following the COVID-19 pandemic as contributing factors to this trend.
Bodish indicated that the ban on Meta, a news-sharing platform, in Canada, due to an ongoing legislative dispute between the company and the government, is also hindering the dissemination of reliable public health messages.
In 2021, Canada released the results of a national childhood vaccination survey, revealing that 2.1% of two-year-olds had not received any vaccines, compared to 1.7% in 2019. Parents cited safety concerns or a belief that vaccines are ineffective as reasons for refusing vaccination.
Bodish stated in 2021 that these reasons are often related to the lack of a family doctor and stem more from access to health services than from skepticism. She suspects, however, that misinformation has increased significantly over the past four years, and no new data is available on this.
A December survey by the research firm Leisure Healthcare on vaccine hesitancy found that, while most Canadians (74%) trust vaccines, hesitancy has increased primarily due to safety concerns fueled by social media and a lack of trust in the government.
The survey also found that 17% of those who expressed vaccine hesitancy reported getting their information from U.S. government websites.
Dr. Komnane Wilson, a physician and professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa, stated that Canada can address concerns raised by changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by collaborating with other public health systems around the world and taking the lead in developing health surveillance systems, while American institutions lag behind.
“If we put this system in place, not only will Canada benefit, but we will also be able to provide the world with invaluable information,” he added.
However, Michel Grignon, a professor and health economist at McMaster University, pointed out that Canada’s growing mistrust of vaccines is a consequence of its unique circumstances.
He asserted that the federal government should focus on the internal causes of this mistrust rather than placing undue emphasis on the United States.
He explained that, given the erosion of the social safety net in Canada over the past few decades, the pandemic acted as a further catalyst, further weakening social cohesion, marginalizing some people, and sowing the seeds of distrust in the government.
Griggnon cited the 2022 truckers’ protests against COVID-19 restrictions as evidence of this erosion of trust. He stated, “We are the source of our own problem, and our reluctance to get vaccinated has nothing to do with the United States, but rather stems from within ourselves.”