Analysis
U.S. and French-based social media accounts shared a video interview with a known French anti-vaccine advocate on a site with a history of promoting anti-vaccine conspiracies. The posts claim that the interviewee, a retired French physician, is “raising the alarm” about a heightened risk of cVDPV2 at “10 times the rate of WPV” through the oral polio vaccines allegedly promoted by Bill Gates and WHO. Responses to the posts were both in favor of and against the physician, and some also criticized Bill Gates’ and so-called Western “experiments,” repeating the debunked myth that Gates used vaccination efforts as a forced depopulation plan. One response from a user claiming to have worked for “UNICEF/CDC/WHO vaccination campaigns” sowed doubt about vaccination efforts. However, overall the posts have had relatively few engagements and are being shared mostly in the United States, France, and Canada.
Recommendations
The posts’ low engagement—mostly in non-polio countries—decreases their risk. Messaging may emphasize that The Gates Foundation supports polio eradication efforts worldwide and there is no evidence that the organization’s anti-polio work has caused harm. Fears of international interference and the motivations behind foreign aid—particularly aid from the Gates Foundation—are widespread. Informing the public about how local health ministries work with international aid organizations and transparently reporting on their purpose and results is recommended. Emphasizing that the best way to prevent any type of polio outbreak—whether it’s wild polio or cVDPV—is to vaccinate children is also recommended.