Trump’s Anti-Vaccination Views Against Public Opinion: Study
President Donald Trump’s criticism of vaccines is at odds with the views of most Americans, who overwhelmingly support vaccination requirements for public school children, according to a new survey conducted by the Pew Research Center.
The survey found that 82% of Americans support requiring public school students to be vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). Most Americans’ perception of the benefits of those three vaccinations are overwhelmingly positive, with about 88% saying the purported benefits outweigh any potential risk. About 73% of Americans see high preventive health benefits, and 66% say there is a low risk of side effects, according to the survey.
Discourse on the vaccination risk goes back to 1998, when a now-retracted study published in The Lancet linked increasing rates of autism to childhood vaccines. The author of the study, Andrew Wakefield, has been banned from practicing medicine in the U.K., and universally dubbed a fraud by the medical community.
Since being elected, Trump has met both with Wakefield and Robert Kennedy Jr., a staunch vaccine skeptic the president reportedly asked to lead a commission on “vaccine safety and scientific integrity.” Trump has denied this claim and refused to acknowledge the creation of any such commission.
Trump, who has no background in science or medicine, has claimed for years that the current vaccine schedule subjects children to too much at once.
“I am totally in favor of vaccines,” Trump said during a primary debate last year. “But I want smaller doses over a longer period of time.”
His views have led to increasing unease in public health circles, with many experts concerned about anti-vaccine sentiments being raised across the U.S. Peter Hotez, president of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, told FiercePharma that he and others are “apprehensive” about Trump’s plans on vaccines, but that he’s waiting for more details.
The Pew survey found that public opinion on scientists and their research related to childhood vaccines is generally positive. The data indicates that 73% of adults believe scientists should have a major role in policy decisions related to vaccinations, while only about 25% say elected officials should decide.
Both Republicans and Democrats are generally in agreement that MMR vaccines should be a public school requirement; however, conservatives are slightly more likely than either moderates or liberals to say that parents should have a say about whether or not to have their children vaccinated. Still, the vast majority of Americans in each group support requiring the vaccinations to protect all public school children from preventable diseases.
What do you think about President Trump’s opinion? Leave a comment below…
I agree it should be a parents decision. If I decide to vaccinate and you don’t, and get sick, then I should be protected from the virus. Isn’t that the purpose of a vaccine? If not, then what is the point of it? I keep hearing how we can’t go back to work or school till there is a vaccine, but you are saying they really don’t work unless everyone is vaccinated? Makes 0 sense. Not to mention virus’s mutate all the time. Look at the flu. In 2018 we got the flu shot, but it wasn’t even the strand that made us sick that year. It is all hogwash sorry. We still suffered during the flu just like I would of without a vaccine.
I never get the flu shot cause it’s never the strand , a different strand comes. I haven’t had the flu in years & were 77 & 78 .
Amen…. Vaccinations should be a choice, NEVER mandatory. Not even for jobs. Why would I want to have foreign substance in my body and being bullied to do so? This article is pure propaganda.
The propaganda/Anti-Trump, pure bias give away was this snarky comment: “Trump, who has no background in science or medicine…”,
I am not a parent, so I will not comment on the opinion of who decides vaccinations. I will comment on the purpose of vaccines and herd immunity.
The purpose of the vaccine is to introduce the pathogen (a part of the virus genetic code, whole virus, etc) to mimick you getting infected. However, the body’s immune response is to prevent future severe illness. You may still get the flu, for instance, if the strain is different than the ones you received in the vaccine. Yet, if you encounter the strain you were vaccinated against, you may not get symptoms, minor symptoms, or may avoid hospitalization.
In terms of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, public health professionals say to aim for 80% vaccination (varies depending on the virus) in order to prevent rampant outbreaks, illness, hospitalizations and death. That is why it “really [doesn’t] work unless everyone is vaccinated.” As someone who is high risk, I receive the recommended flu vaccine (trivalent) and practice good health hygiene. I hope you do the same and not diminish the pain people go through who die of the flu and COVID-19.
I challenge the numbers that this survey released — definitely not the public opinion where I’m at. I know far too many families who’s children went from 12 yrs old to 3 years old mentally directly after an MMR vaccine…. plus, what does public opinion on un-researched masses count for, anyway?
“A majority of the uneducated and unhealthy American population thinks vaccines, white sugar, and pesticides are part of a healthy diet” — doesn’t make it good, lol!
The United States (HHS Dept) lost vaccination court case. Vaccines can no longer be mandated for children in schools or adults working in the health field. This is big, really BIG!! There were no safety studies for vaccines for the last 32 years, which really questions their effectiveness. We need to stop poisoning ourselves.
President Trump’s view is consistent with that of most of the public, who oppose mandatory vaccination. Parental choice is critical. Trump would be smart to make his opposition to mandatory vaccination a campaign issue. He would draw millions and millions of supportive voters. Hope he doesn’t get manipulated by Big Pharma
Truth is that no have one evidance abut vacine save and efective the real saientist are ageinst mandatory vacination program is crime ageinst childe for sure
I fully support The President’s viewpoint. I also fully support it always being the parent’s choice!
I am personally against mandatory vaccinations. Our bodies have amazing immune systems that need to be allowed to operate and not be dulled by constant medications. However, no one appears to have mentioned why they are against vaccinations. Autism occurrence in the US is drastically high amongst children; which ingredients is BigPharma adding to the vaccines, that’s my question? I think every doctor should be able to tell every patient that such-and-such a vaccine contains … a , b, c, etc to every last drop .. just as foods have to be labelled. I also think this question should be left to the parents to decide when it comes to their children.
Well from what I see every comment posted, the people opinion (including my own) goes against your article. Funny how all these journalists try to influence our opinions thru brainwashing, manipulation, shaming and gaslighting. Yet our opinions are unshakable. Any parent that does their research and pays attention should not want mandatory vacaainations. I had no idea of Trumps stance on this, but all that does is make me see that he really cares about the American people. So, whoever wrote this article your obviously wrong about your opinions on the subject matter.
Americans “overwhelmingly” support vaccine mandates? Um, no we do not. We value freedom and especially the freedom to choose not to poison our children with toxic chemicals. Trump 2020!
I don’t think Trump allows anyone to manipulate him.
Why can hospital mandate employees obtain flu vaccine and sign forms saying they are voluntarily getting vaccine and are aware of risks when they are not being shown insert with all risks that come with vaccine and they (hospital) is now not responsible when employee develops reaction. Employee has to sign form then hospital should also be required to sign form from employee so they can then seek legal recourse. No one should have anything injected into their body that they do not want this is not nazi germany!