Anti-vaccine chiropractors rising force of misinformation

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The flashy postcard, covered with images of syringes, beckoned people to attend Vax-Con ’21 to learn “the uncensored truth” about COVID-19 vaccines. ___ Even before the pandemic, many chiropractors became active in the so-called “health freedom” movement, advocating in state legislatures from Massachusetts to South Dakota to allow more people to skip vaccinations. He said vaccines have no place in what he calls the “wellness and prevention paradigm.” “We’re trying to defend our rights,” Tapper told AP, when asked why so many chiropractors are involved in the anti-vaccine movement. Wilson said during an appearance at an anti-vaccine event on Sept. 19 in Indianapolis that over the past month, “120,000 new advocates had taken action through Stand for Health Freedom.” The group reported nearly $200,000 in revenue in 2020, an amount Bohemier said in an email came from “advocate donations.” New Jersey Senate Democratic President Steve Sweeney told AP that he was concerned some chiropractors were running afoul of the state’s truth-in-advertising law because they’re spreading anti-vaccine misinformation. He said chiropractors were being unfairly cast as anti-science and “that’s not accurate.” As recently as October 2020, the International Chiropractors Association carried what it called a “formal policy statement” on its website, saying the group “questions the wisdom of mass vaccination programs” and opposes compulsory vaccine programs which infringe upon “freedom of choice.” The statement has since been removed but could be found in the Internet Archive.