This bit of good news is already spreading around the science blogosphere, but I wanted to chime in also. The New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) has issued a very damning statement against Australia’s largest anti-vaccination organization, the Australian Vaccination Network (AVN). According to reports:

The HCCC accuses the AVN of providing inaccurate and misleading information and selectively quoting research out of context to argue against vaccination.

The report has also noted accusations that the AVN harassed the parents of a child who died of whooping cough last year, after the parents advocated the importance of childhood vaccination.

This is the result of a long investigation – but also the result of a campaign by my friends and colleagues “down undah,” specifically Rachael Dunlop (Dr. Rachie) who spearheads the anti-antivax efforts of the Australian Skeptics. They have done an excellent job of keeping the pressure on the AVN and have been scoring huge victories in the media.

The complaint that sparked the HCCC investigation was made by Ken McLeod, who is quoted as saying:

“I mean reason and science just does not break through [to them],” he said.

“They’re not interested in reality, they’re interested in conspiracy theories and junk science.”

Of course, Meryl Dorey who runs the AVN is denying the accusations.

The HCCC is requiring that the AVN put a disclaimer on their website stating that they are anti-vaccination and also that they are not dispensing medical advice. In essence all they are asking for is transparency, and it is not clear anywhere on the AVN site that they are editorially anti-vaccine.  Unfortunately, there are probably no teeth to their report and it is probable that they will not have the legal basis to force the AVN to comply. But at least the media coverage has been good.

Not surprisingly the AVN’s American counterparts are coming to their defense. Orac does a nice takedown of a hilarious piece of paranoid nonsense over at the Age of Autism. Their made-up story is that skeptical groups are sinister fascist organizations heavily funded (I find that particularly funny) by industry to silence dissenting opinions. Seriously, they think they can just make up any bull they want. Unfortunately, their readers seem to swallow it wholesale.

Keep in mind, the HCCC is not trying to silence anyone. They are just asking for a little editorial transparency – fascists!

Optimistically these events may serve to further marginalize the anti-vaccination movement. The more paranoid and absurd their arguments, the more reasonable people will see them for what they are. But even a marginalized subculture can be very vocal and can do a great deal of damage. So our vigilance against their dangerous nonsense must continue.