Instruments of trust
To consent to a medical act, an individual needs to reach a certain degree of trust toward the particular act. Several strategies are used and serve as instruments to build the trust of the individual. You will find below some that are behind the trust expressed towards the new gene based technologies. currently used as vaccines against Covid-19.
Creating a hype
Merriam Webster defines hype
PUBLICITYespecially : promotional publicity of an extravagant or contrived kind; all the hype before the boxing match
1-Hype and Public Trust in Science
Photo by Melanie Pongratz on Unsplash
One issue with hyping science in the popular press is that it could distort the public’s understanding of science since the media is the primary vehicle for communicating science to the public (Nelkin 1995). Additionally, hyping research by overemphasizing benefits, underplaying risks, and making grandiose claims and promises raises the hopes and expectations of individuals; in turn, when the hype subsides and promises are unmet, this could potentially lead to a loss of public trust and enthusiasm for biotechnology and reduce support for science generally.
Zubin Masterand David B. Resnik
- Much of the public understanding of science and biotechnology is through print, television, movies, videogames, news, documentaries, shows, and advertisements on the web.
- The use of catch phrases ” The experts says”.
- Positive light on candidate vaccines against SARS-Cov2, as safe and effective.
- Downplaying any negative impact : ”These adverse events are rare” .
- Its free!
- Creating an appearance of scarcity ex. Wait your turn…
- In the context of the Covid-19 immunization, vaccines are promoted as ” The only way to get out of the pandemic”, ” The only way to get back to normal”.
All this will result to people craving the product.
The term ”vaccine”
In the collective mind, vaccination is the most trusted medical act. Vaccines have a very positive reputation since their appearance. Most parents follow the vaccination schedule for their infant child without a second thought. The use of the word vaccine is therefore an instrument of trust; such is the case of all the vaccine candidates against SARS-Cov-2. Even if they are still in various stages of clinical trials, they are identified as ”vaccines”. They are called ”vaccine” and therefore are trusted by the public. Would you call a first year med student ‘’ doctor’’ ? Would you trust him (her) with your life?
Vaccine mandates or passport
For some, being forced into something is enough to deter them from doing what they would have probably done without being forced. Others, surprisingly enough, will show more trust toward a mandated medical act, thinking that health is the only reason behind a mandate. They will trust with the assumption that ”it must certainly be safe because they would not mandate it otherwise”.
WHY ARE LEGISLATURES IMPOSING VACCINE MANDATES NOW?
September 12, 2019
My testimony to the New Brunswick, Canada legislature on August 27, 2019 Why are legislatures imposing vaccine mandates now? Meryl Nass, MD … I am a veteran of the vaccine war in the US, and today I feel compelled to speak about what I saw in that war. Legislators were forced to change their votes…Read More
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