Anti-vaxxers are the source of vaccine hesitancy, the Vaccine Solidarity Movement (VSM) declared yesterday, and stressed that being an anti-vaxxer at this time is tantamount to criminality.
The newly convened VSM is the country’s largest, most influential medical organization that has emerged during the pandemic. It issued the strong statement to fight the spread of fake news against vaccine hesitancy.
VSM members include the National Adverse Effects Immunization Commission, Philippine Medical Association, Philippine Dental Association, Philippine Nurses Association, Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines, Philippine Pharmacists Association, Philippine Foundation for Vaccination and other allied medical and health organizations.
“We denounce all medical practitioners who deliberately cause panic, fear, and confusion among the public by making their anti-vaccination views known,” the VSM said in a press briefing.
“We remain firm in our belief that doctors and other medical practitioners understand the important role that vaccines play in saving lives and preventing severe diseases, and so we deem it morally and intellectually wrong to both be a medical practitioner and an anti-vaxxer at the same time,” it added.
“Being an anti-vaxxer at this time is tantamount to criminality. To put it simply, one cannot be a doctor if he or she is an anti-vaxxer, the VSM said.
“There is no room in the medical field for people who question the validity and the scientifically proven positive effects of vaccines.”
“We will not allow vaccination to be politicized and weaponized once again to the detriment of the Filipino,” said Dr. Benny Atienza of the Philippine Medical Association.
“Medical practitioners abide by the Hippocratic Oath and as such should be more vigilant, outspoken, and visible when it comes to telling the truth about vaccines,” Atienza added.
“Vaccines are safe, effective, and they save lives,” said Dr. Lulu Bravo of the National Adverse Effects Immunization Commission (NAEFIC).
“In agreement with global studies, NAEFIC has shown that there’s no negative health effects when taking COVID-19 vaccines,” said Bravo who also chairs the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination. “We want to see a world free of vaccine-preventable diseases.”
“Some doctors and medical professionals are being used by certain members of the media to spread confusion and doubts about getting vaccinated,” warned Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, former director-general of the Department of Health’s Food and Drug Administration.
“Ultimately, this is harmful to our people. We need to formulate a policy or even a simple information drive to combat them by preemptive action before false news becomes viral,” he added.
“In addition to other public health measures, vaccination is prevention and better than cure,” said Dr. Jun Belizario, dean of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Public Health. “Hesitation might prove to be too late.”
“We strongly support the VSM to end the COVID-19 pandemic through vaccination,” said Bryan Posadas, program manager for immunization of the Philippine Pharmacists Association.
“COVID-19 vaccine underwent thorough study and analysis by experts from different parts of the globe and in our country,” he said in Filipino. “The benefits of getting vaccinated outweigh all potential risks.”
“COVID-19 vaccine is one of several means to reduce the risk of hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19 as well as the long-term effects of the disease,” said Dr. Angelo Militante, president of the Philippine Dental Association. “Choosing not to use vaccines would be a tragic negation of our collective responsibility to humanity.”
“Our freedom of speech should be tempered with accountability for the things we say, especially when public safety is threatened,” said Amor Maclang, VSM co-convenor and public engagement advisor to the UP College of Public Health.
She cited the previous issue of Dengvaxia, the anti-dengue vaccine. “Too many children died of dengue because we were scared away by a vaccine that’s accepted in 24 countries.
Our children were deprived of (the dengvaxia vaccine) because of political issues and wrong information.”
Many of medical professionals didn’t speak out then and now during the coronavirus pandemic, she continued.
“It’s happening again and let’s not allow it. We are seeing our entire medical system strained to the max while our body count mounts and our economy wobbles. The key towards correcting these issues is vaccination,” she said.
Maclang called for a halt in “politicizing vaccines and putting doubts in people about the one thing that could really protect our country.”
