Thread by @gorskon

Of course I'm in favor of informed consent. The problem is that what antivaxxers and #COVID19 cranks represent as "informed consent" is in reality what I like to refer to as misinformed refusal. 1/

https://twitter.com/PeterKent_at_OZ/status/1369981169463218178

"Misinformed refusal" is refusal of vaccines based on the pseudoscience, quackery, misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theories promulgated by antivaxxers that vastly exaggerate the risk of harm from and downplay the benefits of vaccines. 2/ respectfulinsolence.com/2020/02/07/aap…

I used to refer to this concept as "misinformed consent," but realized a few years ago that "misinformed refusal" of vaccines is a more accurate way to describe it. 3/ respectfulinsolence.com/2016/07/06/rob…

Think of it this way. Misinformed refusal is the refusal of vaccines based on misinformation about exaggerated risks and minimized benefits of vaccines. Any reasonable person would refuse vaccines if they don't know they are being fed pseudoscience, misinformation, and lies. 4/

So, yes, I'm very much in favor of true informed consent, in which the risks and benefits of vaccines are laid out based on the actual science behind vaccines. I am not in favor of misinformed refusal based on antivax lies. 5/

I see through antivaxxers' misuse of the term and for at least 12 years have been calling out their abuse of the concept of "informed consent" in the service of frightening people into not vaccinated. It's a tactic, not an argument. 6/6