The Dangers of Falsely Claiming a Political Figure is Anti-Vax

Disappointed in @KatherineEban and @VanityFair for publishing a misleading piece about Gov. DeSantis.

A short thread follows on the dangers of falsely claiming a leading political figure is anti-vax when he is not.
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— Jay Bhattacharya (@DrJBhattacharya) March 27, 2023

A personal aside: I spoke with the reporter for hours about the @gbdeclaration, explaining focused protection & lockdown harms. The GBD is the antithesis of a "let it rip" strategy. Yet here's how I am introduced in the piece.
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— Jay Bhattacharya (@DrJBhattacharya) March 27, 2023

I've never said nor thought, "we want them infected", and yet what would a casual reader take away from this misleading juxtaposition? The piece creates a false impression about @gbdeclaration for cheap political points.
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— Jay Bhattacharya (@DrJBhattacharya) March 27, 2023

This is more than about politics. If people draw the false conclusion Gov. DeSantis is anti-vax from this piece, it may persuade them to trust all vaccines against both the governor's thinking and good medical advice.
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— Jay Bhattacharya (@DrJBhattacharya) March 27, 2023

In 2008, then Sen. Obama hedged in an interview during his successful presidential campaign about the link between the measles vax and autism (though the evidence rejected the link even then).
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— Jay Bhattacharya (@DrJBhattacharya) March 27, 2023

Pres. Omaba was not anti-vax. Suppose Vanity Fair had made a big deal of this nonsense in 2008 (I know, I know, a huge stretch). It would have fueled anti-vax sentiment. @vanityfair's story is bad for public health.
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— Jay Bhattacharya (@DrJBhattacharya) March 27, 2023