Item - 2019.HL4.3

The Board of Health:

1.  Requested Health Canada to explore avenues to reduce the spread and dissemination of misinformation and false claims about vaccines.

2.  Requested the World Health Organization to consider global recommendations, similar to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, regulating direct and indirect advertising, promotion, and sponsorship by anti-vaccine groups and anti-vaccine messages in print, audio, video, and online advertisements.

3.  Requested the following health professional organizations to educate their members on how to address vaccine hesitancy in their practices and promote vaccines: the Ontario Medical Association, the Canadian Medical Association, the Ontario Nurses' Association, the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, the Canadian Nurses Association, the Ontario Pharmacists Association, the Association of Ontario Midwives, the Ontario Chiropractic Association, and the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors.

4.  Directed that the report (March 28, 2019) from the Medical Officer of Health be forwarded to Health Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Public Health Ontario, Ad Standards, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, the Canadian Marketing Association, the Association of Canadian Advertisers, the Ontario Public Health Association, the Association of Local Public Health Agencies, the Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health, the Ontario Medical Association, the Canadian Medical Association, the Ontario Nurses' Association, the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, the Canadian Nurses Association, the Ontario Pharmacists Association, the Association of Ontario Midwives, the Ontario Chiropractic Association, and the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors.

5.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health to report to the Board of Health at its meeting on September 23, 2019 with Toronto Public Health's strategy to address vaccine hesitancy which should include the following:

a.  Investigating the potential to restrict misleading advertising regarding vaccinations on City-owned land and infrastructure;

b.  Consulting with Health Canada regarding their ability to use additional regulations under their legislative authority to restrict misleading advertising regarding vaccinations;

c.  Additional actions to ensure that the public has the necessary information to make informed decisions about the importance of vaccinations for the health of all members of our community, including consideration of a public education campaign; and

d.  Assistance the Medical Officer of Health can provide to health care providers to ensure that they can support families in making informed vaccination decisions.

Dr. Vinita Dubey, Associate Medical Officer of Health, Toronto Public Health, gave a presentation on Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy.

Vaccine hesitancy is the reluctance or refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines. It is a growing concern internationally and has been identified as a top ten threat to global health by the World Health Organization. In Canada, an estimated 20 percent of parents are vaccine hesitant and are unsure about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.

Social media and the internet play a significant role in spreading misinformation about vaccines and have contributed greatly to vaccine hesitancy. Technology companies such as Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Google have acknowledged the detrimental role that these platforms have played in spreading misinformation about vaccines, and have taken some action to address this issue. 

Clear and truthful messages supporting vaccines and the importance of immunization in protecting health are critical to combatting vaccine hesitancy. This report provides a number of recommended actions to help address this growing concern and the role the federal government, as well as international, national, and provincial organizations can play to support these efforts.