Analysis
A popular U.S.-based social media account promoted the debunked conspiracy theory that a polio vaccine created by Bill Gates left 496,000 children in India paralyzed. The post has received over 16,000 engagements and was shared by social media users in many countries.
Recommendations
This conspiracy theory has circulated for decades despite being disproved repeatedly. The post’s high engagement increases its risk. Messaging may emphasize that polio vaccines eliminated polio in India, which has been free of polio in all its forms since 2014. The Gates Foundation supports polio eradication efforts worldwide, including in India, 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.