SDH Captioned
Grades 10-12, College, Adults
Directed by Tjardus Greidanus
Produced by Laura Davis, Tjardus Greidanus
DVD Purchase $395, Rent $95
US Release Date: 2024
Copyright Date: 2024
DVD ISBN: 1-961192-22-5
Subjects
Activism
American Studies
Anthropology
Anti-Vaxx Movement
Biology
Ethics
Health
Health Policy
History
Media Literacy
Medical Ethics
Pandemics
Political Science
Public Health
Science
Technology
Society
Social Psychology
Sociology
Vaccines
Awards and Festivals
Carnegie Science Center (Premiere)
American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference
National Vaccine Law Conference
American Society of Consultant Pharmacists National Meeting
American College of Preventive Health - Preventive Medicine Conference
American Society of Virology National Conference
Turning the Tide on Vaccine Hesitancy
Examines the consequences of vaccine hesitancy and denial.
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"[T]imely and important...It is critical that we understand vaccine hesitancy, if we want to protect our children's future." Cailin O'Connor, Prof. Philosophy of Science, UC-Irvine |
[Note: Community screenings of VIRULENT: THE VACCINE WAR can be booked at Bullfrog Communities.]
Note: DVD includes a shorter 48-minute version of the film
VIRULENT: THE VACCINE WAR explores the highly contentious, emotionally fraught firestorm surrounding vaccines, charting the collision between scientists and charlatans, truth and lies.
Public health experts' worries that the coronavirus vaccine could create fear of all vaccines appear to have been borne out by the resurgence of previously eradicated childhood diseases including measles and pertussis. Doctors admit that they have not learned how to effectively communicate science to their patients, leaving them susceptible to the influence of expertly manipulated and increasing extreme messaging on social media platforms. In post-pandemic America, the vaccine controversy continues to cut across political, cultural, racial and socio-economic lines, engulfing doctors and patients as well as conspiracy theorists, celebrities, influencers, and opportunists looking to cash in. The film also takes a close look at the ways in which minorities are targeted by anti-vaccine misinformation.
Taking us deep into these opposing worlds are Dr. Paul Offit, one of the world's preeminent virologists; Dr. Peter Salk, Jonas Salk's physician son; Arthur Caplan, PhD, founder of NYU's Division of Bioethics; New York Times columnist Kevin Roose, who writes about how bad science spreads online; NBC News reporter Brandy Zadrozny, who has exposed how anti-vaxxers target grieving parents and has herself become a target; and the voices of many former vaccine skeptics, including those who lost children to vaccine-preventable illnesses.
VIRULENT is an invitation to think again, exposing the myths and laying bare the facts about vaccine science, its history and what it will take to eradicate the world's most deadly diseases.
Reviews
"Virulent: The Vaccine War shows us what the modern anti-vaccine movement looks like and pushes back with stories of its own...People need to see it."
"Carnegie Science Center was honored to feature the premiere of Virulent: The Vaccine War...There couldn't have been a better fit for our aspirations to serve as a town square for community dialogue on scientific topics and to showcase regional science and technology advances."
"Informative as well as moving, and frankly quite a bit disturbing."
"Students need to appreciate the stakes of the argument about vaccination, especially the way infectious disease has caused so much human suffering. We need to awaken these memories. The first movie that terrified me in the 1950s showed kids my age in iron lungs. I hope my grandchildren never have to see that. Perhaps Virulent will help."
"This is a well-done portrait of the American anti-vaxx movement as it's developed over time...The personal stories offer food for compassion."
"What started as earnest parents with genuine questions about vaccines has morphed into a multimillion-dollar for-profit anti-vax industry that misinforms and endangers children. This documentary tells the story that needs to be told. The threat of infectious diseases is real and our children need vaccines to be healthy and thrive."
"Virulent does such an effective job combatting vaccine skepticism on so many different fronts."
"I am astounded by how this documentary summarizes many years of scientific research on vaccine hesitancy into just one film. Virulent tells a compelling story about how vaccine hesitancy started, how it is disseminated, what drives the advocates of vaccine hesitancy, and how it affects the well-being of our society - all based on scientific research. It is not only informative and educational but also a fun film to share with our children, parents, and neighbors who still have lingering concerns about the safety of vaccines."
"Virulent explores the history of vaccines and the perspectives of those who oppose them in light of the recent pandemic [including] that they cause autism (spoiler: they do not)."
"The anti-vaccine movement is more powerful than ever. To paraphrase Virulent, they have been practicing for just such a cataclysmic event [as COVID]. That's why we're happy to be holding a virtual screening...It is very good indeed."
"We made the fortunate decision to host a showing of Virulent: The Vaccine War...Our attendees were deeply moved by the film and the thoroughness with which it addressed the current contention over vaccination, and it provided a strong point of discussion and motivation for the remaining work of our conference."
"Our coalition members were delighted to have the opportunity to view Virulent...The film was received with much enthusiasm with many urging more screenings to a wider audience."
"Virulent is timely and important. The COVID-19 pandemic made abundantly clear that public health depends as much on what people believe as it does on the state of medicine. Unfortunately, our country's deep, entrenched polarization over vaccines has only increased in the last few years. This documentary explores psychological, political, and medical insights into how and when people cho