Canadian officials and public health experts are expressing growing concerns that US health and science institutions are no longer reliable sources of information, especially regarding vaccinations. This anxiety stems from fears that misinformation from the Trump administration could undermine Canadians’ trust in their healthcare system.
Dawn Bowdish, an immunologist and professor at McMaster University in Ontario, stated, “I can’t imagine a world in which this misinformation doesn’t creep into Canadians’ consciousness and leads to doubt.”
These apprehensions have intensified as US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has promoted an anti-vaccine agenda. In December, a panel he appointed voted to revoke a long-standing recommendation by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for all newborns to receive hepatitis B vaccinations.
Moreover, the CDC altered its website in November under Kennedy’s direction, suggesting that “studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism,” a statement criticized by leading public health experts as untrue.
Bowdish argues that the CDC’s shift toward misinformation complicates efforts to alleviate vaccine mistrust in Canada.
In December, Canada’s health minister, Marjorie Michel, voiced concerns about the reliability of US health and science institutions. In an interview, she remarked, “I cannot trust them as a reliable partner, no.”
Michel also pointed out to CBC News that “some” Canadians might be swayed by Kennedy’s views.
This discussion comes on the heels of a troubling year for measles in Canada, with the country losing its measles elimination status in November after over 5,000 cases were reported nationwide.
Doctors have highlighted a combination of falling childhood vaccination rates, limited access to family doctors, and a surge in misinformation following the coronavirus pandemic as factors driving the increase in measles cases.
Bowdish also noted that Meta’s ban on news sharing in Canada has hindered effective public health communication.
A 2021 national survey revealed that 2.1% of two-year-olds in Canada had not received any vaccinations, up from 1.7% in 2019. Parents cited safety concerns and doubts about vaccine efficacy as reasons for their decisions.
Bowdish mentioned that these reasons were often linked to lacking access to a family doctor, pointing more toward access issues rather than outright skepticism. However, in the four years since, she believes misinformation has significantly increased, although recent data is lacking.
A December poll conducted by Leger Healthcare showed that while 74% of Canadians still trust vaccines, hesitancy is on the rise, primarily influenced by safety concerns fueled by social media and distrust in government.
The survey also found that 17% of those expressing doubt in vaccines rely on information from US government websites.
Kumanan Wilson, a doctor and professor at the University of Ottawa, argued that Canada could address CDC-related concerns by collaborating with global health systems and enhancing its health surveillance capabilities while US institutions falter.
He said, “If we build this system, it’s not only going to be great for Canada. We can provide really valuable information to the world.”
On the other hand, Michel Grignon, a professor and health economist at McMaster University, cautioned that growing vaccine mistrust in Canada is largely a self-inflicted issue.
He emphasized that the federal government should focus on identifying the domestic reasons for vaccine distrust rather than placing too much blame on the US.
Grignon pointed to the erosion of Canada’s social safety nets over the decades, accelerated by the pandemic, which he believes has contributed to societal fragmentation and distrust in government.
He further cited the 2022 trucker protests against COVID restrictions as a clear sign of this trust collapse.
“We are the source of our own problem, and our vaccine hesitancy has not much to do with the US. It has to do with us,” he concluded.
