Dear Colleagues,
Here is a possible, and timely, FIS discussion topic:
The refusal of large numbers of people, especially health professionals, to be
vaccinated against H1/N1 flu poses the question of the information, if any, on
which they base this decision.
If one goes back to the beginning of the epidemic, one notes several systems of
highly negative (frightening) information: the new flu might be extremely
dangerous; the pharmaceutical industry will be unable to produce a vaccine;
even if it does, it will be dangerous because not tested sufficiently for
profit reasons.
Assuming the sources of this information are the media and certain "experts",
one can see the assymetry in terms of responsibility: if the media are right to
be negative, they look prescient; if they are wrong, and all goes well, as
appears to be the case, no one cares and their role in propagating the
information is quickly overlooked, if not forgotten. If, however, the media
information had been neutral or positive, i.e. there was no reason to be
alarmed, they might be attacked legally if a flu pandemic occurred. Negative
information "sells" better than positive information.
The really frightening result of the original negative information, however, is
that it seems to override the current positive information, statements by
Ministers of Health, etc: people don't get vaccinated, and the pandemic becomes
more probable!
My questions are to what extent has the theory of value-laden information and
this kind of dynamic been studied and what kind of public discussion of it is
desirable and possible? I look forward to comments.
Best wishes,
Joseph
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