Botched Ebola Vaccine Trials in Ghana: An Analysis of Discourses in the Media
In June 2015, proposed Ebola vaccine trials were suspended by the Ministry of Health of Ghana amid protests from members of parliament and the general public. Scholarship has often focused on the design, development, and administration of vaccines. Of equal importance are the social issues surroundi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/2/177 |
| _version_ | 1797395966765039616 |
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| author | Esi E. Thompson |
| author_facet | Esi E. Thompson |
| author_sort | Esi E. Thompson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In June 2015, proposed Ebola vaccine trials were suspended by the Ministry of Health of Ghana amid protests from members of parliament and the general public. Scholarship has often focused on the design, development, and administration of vaccines. Of equal importance are the social issues surrounding challenges with vaccine trials and their implementation. The purpose of this study was to analyze discourses in the media that led to the suspension of the 2015 Ebola vaccine trials in Ghana. I use a sociological lens drawing on moral panic and risk society theories. The study qualitatively analyzed discourses in 18 semi-structured interviews with media workers, selected online publications, and user comments about the Ebola vaccine trials. The findings show that discourses surrounding the Ebola vaccine trials drew on cultural, biomedical, historical, and even contextual knowledge and circumstances to concretize risk discourses and garner support for their positions. Historical, political, and cultural underpinnings have a strong influence on biomedical practices and how they are (not) accepted. This study highlights the complexity and challenges of undertaking much needed vaccine tests in societies where the notion of drug trials has underlying historical and sociological baggage that determine whether (or not) the trials proceed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:43:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-281452f87362497fb67367614143df80 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:43:30Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-281452f87362497fb67367614143df802023-12-11T17:41:26ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2021-02-019217710.3390/vaccines9020177Botched Ebola Vaccine Trials in Ghana: An Analysis of Discourses in the MediaEsi E. Thompson0Communication Science Unit, The Media School, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN 47405, USAIn June 2015, proposed Ebola vaccine trials were suspended by the Ministry of Health of Ghana amid protests from members of parliament and the general public. Scholarship has often focused on the design, development, and administration of vaccines. Of equal importance are the social issues surrounding challenges with vaccine trials and their implementation. The purpose of this study was to analyze discourses in the media that led to the suspension of the 2015 Ebola vaccine trials in Ghana. I use a sociological lens drawing on moral panic and risk society theories. The study qualitatively analyzed discourses in 18 semi-structured interviews with media workers, selected online publications, and user comments about the Ebola vaccine trials. The findings show that discourses surrounding the Ebola vaccine trials drew on cultural, biomedical, historical, and even contextual knowledge and circumstances to concretize risk discourses and garner support for their positions. Historical, political, and cultural underpinnings have a strong influence on biomedical practices and how they are (not) accepted. This study highlights the complexity and challenges of undertaking much needed vaccine tests in societies where the notion of drug trials has underlying historical and sociological baggage that determine whether (or not) the trials proceed.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/2/177moral panicrisk societyEbola vaccine trialsGhana |
| spellingShingle | Esi E. Thompson Botched Ebola Vaccine Trials in Ghana: An Analysis of Discourses in the Media Vaccines moral panic risk society Ebola vaccine trials Ghana |
| title | Botched Ebola Vaccine Trials in Ghana: An Analysis of Discourses in the Media |
| title_full | Botched Ebola Vaccine Trials in Ghana: An Analysis of Discourses in the Media |
| title_fullStr | Botched Ebola Vaccine Trials in Ghana: An Analysis of Discourses in the Media |
| title_full_unstemmed | Botched Ebola Vaccine Trials in Ghana: An Analysis of Discourses in the Media |
| title_short | Botched Ebola Vaccine Trials in Ghana: An Analysis of Discourses in the Media |
| title_sort | botched ebola vaccine trials in ghana an analysis of discourses in the media |
| topic | moral panic risk society Ebola vaccine trials Ghana |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/2/177 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT esiethompson botchedebolavaccinetrialsinghanaananalysisofdiscoursesinthemedia |