Immunisation Awareness Society

Warnings About Vaccination Expectations NZ
Abbreviation WAVESnz
Formation 1988
Purpose Anti-vaccination campaigning and information[1]
Website http://www.wavesnz.org.nz
Formerly called
 Immunisation Awareness Society (IAS)

Warnings About Vaccination Expectations NZ (WAVESnz), formerly the Immunisation Awareness Society (IAS),[2] is a New Zealand anti-vaccination lobby group. It was a registered charity until 3 September 2012, when the New Zealand Charities Registration Board determined that the Immunisation Awareness Society Incorporated was not qualified for registration as a charitable entity and that it was in the public interest that be removed from the Charities Register. The board stated that "IAS disseminates information that is not factual and falls well short of acceptable standards in the area of health education."[3]

Activities

During a 2011 whooping cough epidemic, IAS spokeswoman Michelle Rudgley went on record in the Otago Daily Times with the statement:

One day they are really going to have to accept that the pertussis [whooping cough] vaccine is useless and no matter how many boosters you have it is not going to stop the occurrence of whooping cough and the best bet is for parents to educate themselves on how to look after their children should they develop it.[4]

In July 2009, during a measles epidemic, IAS spokeswoman Michelle Rudgley said:

the Canterbury situation proved the ineffectiveness of vaccines... parents had been deceived by the pro-vaccination lobby to believe immunisation was safe and could totally protect their children against diseases.[5]

Criticism

IAS has been criticized by a number of scientists and medical professionals.[6][7][8] This organization makes inaccurate claims contrary to scientific consensus, which says that vaccines are safe and effective.[6] The group has been criticized for failing to fulfill their own stated mission of providing parents with material to make an informed decision. Instead, the group provided only anti-vaccination material, without the balance of pro-vaccination material that would be required for truly informed consent.[7] In fact, it was this shortcoming that led the New Zealand Charities Registration Board to revoke IAS's charitable organisation status in September 2012, citing them for promoting a point of view rather than educating the public, as their charitable charter required.[3]

Subsequent to its deregistration as a charity, the Society renamed itself WAVES NZ (Warnings About Vaccine Expectations).[9]

References

  1. ↑ Heather, Ben (7 November 2012). "Charity group deregistered for lobbying". The Dominion Post. Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 10 April 2017.
  2. ↑ "The IAS Has A New Name". WAVESnz. 11 June 2013. Archived from the original on 12 February 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Deregistration Decision: The Immunisation Awareness Society Incorporated" (PDF). New Zealand Charities Registration Board. 3 September 2012. Archived from the original (pdf) on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  4. ↑ Goodwin, Eileen (6 October 2011). "Whooping cough vaccination 'cocooning' call". Otago Daily Times.
  5. ↑ Staff (11 July 2009). "Failure of vaccine suspected". Stuff.nz.
  6. 1 2 "A Critique by the Immunisation Advisory Centre (IMAC) of the Immunisation Awareness Society brochure "What's all the fuss about?"". Immunisation Advisory Centre. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  7. 1 2 Edmonds, Michael (20 December 2012). "The Hypocrisy of the Immunisation "Awareness" Society". SciBlogs. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  8. ↑ "Comments and Opinion: Immunisation Awareness Society". www.ratbags.com. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  9. ↑ Duff, Michelle (18 February 2014). "Measles myths blamed for outbreaks". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 12 February 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  • WAVESnz (formerly the Immunisation Awareness Society)
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