This flashy postcard with images of syringes enticed people to Vax-Con 21, where they could learn the truth about Covid-19 vaccines.
Participants came from all over the country to attend the sold-out convention at Wisconsin Dells. It was a sea of misinformation about vaccines, the pandemic, and conspiracy theories.
Anti-vaccine activist, who made an appearance in Plandemic 2020, was the featured speaker. This movie promoted false Covid-19 stories to the mainstream. Session after session discussed false claims about vaccine dangers and mask-wearing.
The convention was organized and led by chiropractors, a profession where a minority of people seek to have a significant influence on Covid.
A group of chiropractors profited from the pandemic to sow fear and mistrust about vaccines, according to an investigation by the Associated Press.
The AP found that they have promoted their supplements as alternative to vaccines, written notes for doctors to let patients get out of immunization mandates and donated large amounts of money to antivaccine organizations. They also sold anti-vaccine advertisements on Facebook and Instagram.
One chiropractor donated thousands of dollars to the Super Pac, which hosted an anti-vaccine, proDonald Trump rally close to the US Capitol on 6 Jan.
They are also the driving force behind anti-vaccine events such as the one in Wisconsin where hundreds of chiropractors paid $299 or more to participate.
Public health advocates are concerned.
They are trusted by people. They are able to trust their authority but also see them as a good alternative to traditional medicine, Erica DeWald, of Vaccinate Your Family who tracks figures in anti-vaccine movements, stated.
She said that mainstream medicine would refer people to a chiropractor, not realizing that they might be exposed to misinformation. Your back hurts and you don't want to vaccinate.
These chiropractors are a minority of the nation's 70,000 chiropractors. Many of them support vaccines and advocate for their patients. Some chiropractors have been allowed to administer Covid-19 shots or helped organize vaccine clinics.
The pandemic provided a platform for a group of chiropractors that had been spreading anti-vaccine misinformation since long before Covid-19 was even invented.
DD Palmer, a magnetic healer and chiropractor, founded Chiropractic in 1895. He believed that most diseases were caused by misaligned vertebrae.
The idea that germs can cause disease was rejected by its early leaders.
Many people resented vaccines.
Gallup's 2015 survey revealed that 33.5 million Americans had visited a chiropractor within the past 12 months.
The AP discovered that chiropractors and chiropractor-backed organizations have worked in at least 24 states to influence vaccine legislation and policy since 2019.
One example is that a chiropractor founded an organization and was a co-owner in a chiropractic company. This group took credit for destroying a New Jersey bill early 2020 that would have ended religious exemptions for vaccines.
The pandemic struck, opening up new opportunities for profit.
In April, the first complaint that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), under the Covid-19 Consumer Protection Act, was against a Missouri chiropractor.
He claimed that he misrepresented that vaccines don't stop the spread of the virus but that the supplements he offered for $24 per bottle plus $9.95 delivery did. He claims he didn't advertise his supplements in that manner and is fighting the allegations in court.
Ben Tapper, a Nebraska chiropractor, was listed on the Disinformation Dozen. This list was compiled by Center for Countering Digital Hate. It states that Tapper is one of the few people who are responsible for almost two-thirds (or more) of all anti-vaccine content online.
He believes that the public is being told they need a vaccination to stay healthy. He stated that vaccines are not appropriate in the "wellness and prevention paradigm."
Although it is not clear how widespread anti-vaccine sentiment is among chiropractors, there are clues.
Stephen Perle, a professor from the University of Bridgeport School of Chiropractic recently conducted a survey of thousands of US chiropractors. According to Perle, his survey and others show that less than 20% have unorthodox views such as opposition towards vaccines. Perle described that group as an engaged, vocal minority.
AP couldn't find any national statistics on vaccination rates for chiropractors. However, Oregon monitors vaccine uptake by all licensed health professionals.
Only 58% of Oregon's licensed chiropractors were vaccinated, while 55% of Oregon's chiropractic assistants were. This compares to 96% of dentists and 92% of MDs.
North Carolina chiropractor says flu shot patients are poisoning their bodies.
One patient testimonial from a Georgia chiropractor states that Dr Lou taught me about the dangers of vaccinations and shots.
Kyle McKamey from Michigan tells patients that vaccines can cause serious side effects.
Cal Jam is a chiropractic seminar and exhibition on the west coast. It was founded by Billy DeMoss. The group is led by Robert F Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist.
Stand for Health Freedom was founded in 2019 by Sayer Ji (a member of the Disinformation Dozen), Joel Bohemier (chiropractor) and Leah Wilson (who co-owns a chiropractic practice in Indiana with her husband, a chiropractor).
Steve Sweeney (New Jersey senators Democratic president) told AP that he was concerned about chiropractors running afoul state truth-in-advertising laws because they were spreading antivaccine misinformation.
He said that chiropractors are breaking the law by giving medical advice. Those who are found to have violated the law should have their licenses revoked. They are not doctors and they don't give expert advice.
