Skip to content
  • Home Home Home, current page.
  • Moments Moments Moments, current page.

Saved searches

  • Remove
  • In this conversation
    Verified accountProtected Tweets @
Suggested users
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Language: English
    • Bahasa Indonesia
    • Bahasa Melayu
    • Català
    • Čeština
    • Dansk
    • Deutsch
    • English UK
    • Español
    • Filipino
    • Français
    • Hrvatski
    • Italiano
    • Magyar
    • Nederlands
    • Norsk
    • Polski
    • Português
    • Română
    • Slovenčina
    • Suomi
    • Svenska
    • Tiếng Việt
    • Türkçe
    • Ελληνικά
    • Български език
    • Русский
    • Српски
    • Українська мова
    • עִבְרִית
    • العربية
    • فارسی
    • मराठी
    • हिन्दी
    • বাংলা
    • ગુજરાતી
    • தமிழ்
    • ಕನ್ನಡ
    • ภาษาไทย
    • 한국어
    • 日本語
    • 简体中文
    • 繁體中文
  • Have an account? Log in
    Have an account?
    · Forgot password?

    New to Twitter?
    Sign up
gorskon's profile
David Gorski, MD, PhD
David Gorski, MD, PhD
David Gorski, MD, PhD
Verified account
@gorskon

Tweets

David Gorski, MD, PhDVerified account

@gorskon

Surgeon/scientist promoting science in medicine and exposing quackery. Editor of Science-Based Medicine. My opinions do NOT represent those of my employers.

Michigan, USA
sciencebasedmedicine.org
Joined October 2009

Tweets

  • © 2021 Twitter
  • About
  • Help Center
  • Terms
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies
  • Ads info
Dismiss
Previous
Next

Go to a person's profile

Saved searches

  • Remove
  • In this conversation
    Verified accountProtected Tweets @
Suggested users
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @

Promote this Tweet

Block

  • Tweet with a location

    You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more

    Your lists

    Create a new list


    Under 100 characters, optional

    Privacy

    Copy link to Tweet

    Embed this Tweet

    Embed this Video

    Add this Tweet to your website by copying the code below. Learn more

    Add this video to your website by copying the code below. Learn more

    Hmm, there was a problem reaching the server.

    By embedding Twitter content in your website or app, you are agreeing to the Twitter Developer Agreement and Developer Policy.

    Preview

    Why you're seeing this ad

    Log in to Twitter

    · Forgot password?
    Don't have an account? Sign up »

    Sign up for Twitter

    Not on Twitter? Sign up, tune into the things you care about, and get updates as they happen.

    Sign up
    Have an account? Log in »

    Two-way (sending and receiving) short codes:

    Country Code For customers of
    United States 40404 (any)
    Canada 21212 (any)
    United Kingdom 86444 Vodafone, Orange, 3, O2
    Brazil 40404 Nextel, TIM
    Haiti 40404 Digicel, Voila
    Ireland 51210 Vodafone, O2
    India 53000 Bharti Airtel, Videocon, Reliance
    Indonesia 89887 AXIS, 3, Telkomsel, Indosat, XL Axiata
    Italy 4880804 Wind
    3424486444 Vodafone
    » See SMS short codes for other countries

    Confirmation

     

    Welcome home!

    This timeline is where you’ll spend most of your time, getting instant updates about what matters to you.

    Tweets not working for you?

    Hover over the profile pic and click the Following button to unfollow any account.

    Say a lot with a little

    When you see a Tweet you love, tap the heart — it lets the person who wrote it know you shared the love.

    Spread the word

    The fastest way to share someone else’s Tweet with your followers is with a Retweet. Tap the icon to send it instantly.

    Join the conversation

    Add your thoughts about any Tweet with a Reply. Find a topic you’re passionate about, and jump right in.

    Learn the latest

    Get instant insight into what people are talking about now.

    Get more of what you love

    Follow more accounts to get instant updates about topics you care about.

    Find what's happening

    See the latest conversations about any topic instantly.

    Never miss a Moment

    Catch up instantly on the best stories happening as they unfold.

    1. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

      David Gorski, MD, PhD Retweeted Andy Slavitt  🇺🇸 💉

      You'll hear me use the phrase a lot. There ARE antivaxxers. They are the leaders of the antivaccine movement, the bloggers, the conspiracy theorists. These are not the "vaccine-averse," "vaccine curious," or "vaccine concerned." They are antivaxxers. 1/https://twitter.com/ASlavitt/status/1339369587628859397 …

      David Gorski, MD, PhD added,

      Andy Slavitt  🇺🇸 💉Verified account @ASlavitt
      COVID Update December 16: Why you won’t hear me use the phrase “anti-vaxxer.” 1/
      Show this thread
      12 replies 72 retweets 240 likes
      Show this thread
    2. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

      These days, antivaxxers are the source of much of the misinformation, pseudoscience, quackery, and disinformation that creates the "vaccine-averse" and "vaccine concerned." They are the propagandists. They are the grifters. Many are even true believers. 2/

      2 replies 16 retweets 87 likes
      Show this thread
      David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

      Trying to persuade an antivaxxer to vaccinate (or even to stop spreading antivax misinformation) is almost impossible. Being antivaccine is part of their identity as much as religion, political beliefs, and other ideologies. Motivated reasoning and confirmation bias rule them. 3/

      12:33 PM - 17 Dec 2020
      • 15 Retweets
      • 79 Likes
      • Klaus Hentrich 💙 Paola RS Dr. Benedicte Callan Sterling Loss Laurie Dan Freedman, DO Dr. Chim Richalds table for one also sprach fvmi 🏴
      2 replies 15 retweets 79 likes
        1. New conversation
        2. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          Antivaxxers are also immersed in the central conspiracy theory of the antivaccine movement, namely that "they" (CDC, FDA, doctors, pharma) "know" that vaccines are harmful and don't work, but "they" are covering up the evidence. They're like QAnon that way. 4/

          1 reply 8 retweets 63 likes
          Show this thread
        3. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          Moreover, antivaxxers are very good at portraying themselves as not being "antivaccine" but being "pro-" something good, such as freedom, parental rights, "choice," etc. They're "just asking questions." 5/

          2 replies 7 retweets 55 likes
          Show this thread
        4. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          When skeptics accept their self-portrayal and don't look behind the facade, they win. They can pass themselves off as the "vaccine concerned," even though no amount of persuasion, evidence, or empathy will ever convince them that vaccines are not a toxic eugenics plan. 6/

          1 reply 6 retweets 51 likes
          Show this thread
        5. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          The key is to learn to be able to tell the difference between antivaxxers and those who are "vaccine concerned" or "vaccine averse" but still reachable. Don't bother with the former other than to show why and how what they're saying is disinformation and pseudoscience. 7/

          2 replies 7 retweets 52 likes
          Show this thread
        6. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          The idea is to marginalize them, to—if you'll excuse the term—inoculate those susceptible to their message against their disinformation techniques, conspiracy theories, and pseudoscience. Refusing to call them what they are, antivaxxers, hinders that inoculation effort. 8/

          1 reply 8 retweets 51 likes
          Show this thread
        7. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          Meanwhile, treat the vaccine averse and concerned with respect and empathy as you try to reach them. Understand that they just want what is best for their children (and them) but have been misled. 9/

          1 reply 6 retweets 53 likes
          Show this thread
        8. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          Now, I will admit that it isn't always easy to tell a true antivaxxer from the stronger vaccine averse. It's a continuum. There is no hard and fast border between the two. There are some techniques that I've found useful, though. 10/

          1 reply 5 retweets 47 likes
          Show this thread
        9. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          First, when someone says negative things about vaccines, ask them if there are any individual vaccines that they consider safe and effective and would recommend in general. If they say no or dance around the question, they're almost certainly antivaccine. 11/

          2 replies 7 retweets 52 likes
          Show this thread
        10. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          Another good question: Ask them to list specific pieces of evidence that it would take to convince them that vaccines are safe and effective. You can ask this question for vaccines in general or for an individual vaccine, such as MMR or #CovidVaccine. 12/

          1 reply 5 retweets 45 likes
          Show this thread
        11. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          If they propose an impossible standard of evidence (e.g., massive RCT evidence that a vaccine is 100% safe and 100% effective PLUS massive epidemiological studies of millions of people with zero adverse reactions), they're very likely antivax. 13/

          1 reply 6 retweets 44 likes
          Show this thread
        12. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          If they insist on a massive randomized placebo-controlled trial over 20 years showing that vaccines do not cause autism and react negatively if it's pointed out that such a study would be highly unethical, they're antivax. 14/

          1 reply 4 retweets 44 likes
          Show this thread
        13. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          However, here's perhaps the most useful standard in terms of responses to the question about evidence. If they keep moving the goalposts as you provide evidence that meets each set of standards they answer you with, they are almost certainly antivax. 13/

          2 replies 5 retweets 48 likes
          Show this thread
        14. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          Again, there's very little point trying to engage with real antivaxxers. The cost in terms of time and effort far outweighs the benefit of the tiny likelihood that you might get them to start to change their minds. 14/

          1 reply 4 retweets 45 likes
          Show this thread
        15. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          Instead, target the fence-sitters, the "vaccine curious" and averse who might be reachable. To do that, however, you need to know how to distinguish them from antivaxxers. It takes time to develop an accurate "I know one when I see one" instinct about antivaxxers, as I have.15/15

          2 replies 4 retweets 50 likes
          Show this thread
        16. David Gorski, MD, PhD‏Verified account @gorskon 17 Dec 2020

          I forgot: One other VERY good indicator of an antivaxxer: The grift. If the person sells "substitutes" for vaccines, woo to treat "vaccine injury," or "alternative vaccine schedules," he is almost always an antivaxxer. 15a/15

          7 replies 6 retweets 80 likes
          Show this thread
        17. End of conversation

      Loading seems to be taking a while.

      Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.

        Promoted Tweet

        false

        • © 2021 Twitter
        • About
        • Help Center
        • Terms
        • Privacy policy
        • Cookies
        • Ads info