A study led by Boston University School of Public Health researchers found that anti-vaccine sentiment has shifted from personal beliefs into legislative action across the United States, according to a July 17 report. The study shows that proposed bills aimed at reducing vaccine access, weakening vaccination requirements, and increasing exemptions have increased dramatically in state legislatures from 2021 to 2023.
Published in the American Journal of Public Health, the research indicates that at least 40 percent of bills introduced in each full legislative cycle after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic have been related to limiting vaccines. Republican lawmakers sponsored 86 percent of these antivaccine bills during this period, while Democratic lawmakers introduced 54 percent of provaccine bills supporting increased access or funding for vaccines.
"Our work shows that state lawmakers affiliated with the Republican party are responsible for the overwhelming majority of antivaccine bills introduced in recent years," said Dr. Matt Motta, corresponding author and associate professor at Boston University School of Public Health. "While the majority of these bills do not actually pass, it's important to remember that we live in an increasingly connected and globalized world—one in which low vaccine coverage in one part of the country can get people sick thousands of miles away. Weakening vaccine regulations in one state puts everyone's health at risk, as the current measles outbreak demonstrates."
The study also found that 24 percent of antivaccine legislation received enough support to become law during this period. Several states enacted laws expanding religious or personal belief exemptions for childcare and school immunizations and measures prohibiting employers from mandating certain vaccinations.
Dr. Timothy Callaghan, co-author and associate professor at Boston University School of Public Health, said, "These antivaccine bills not only signal the discontent that some have with vaccines but also the more hostile policy environments towards vaccination." He added that upcoming elections could influence future vaccine policymaking.
The researchers systematically categorized partisan changes among 1,513 vaccine-related bills introduced between 2019 and 2023 using data from the State Vaccine Policy Project (SVPP). They plan to expand their dataset for further analysis on health policy trends across additional topics.
