Editing Measles (section)

==Society and culture==
German anti-vaccination campaigner and [[HIV/AIDS denialism|HIV/AIDS denialist]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.virusmyth.com/aids/hiv/slartefact.htm|title=HIV; Reality or artefact?|last=Lanka|first=Stefan|publisher=Virusmyth.com|date=April 1995|access-date=31 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150326075413/http://www.virusmyth.com/aids/hiv/slartefact.htm|archive-date=26 March 2015|author-link=:de:Stefan Lanka}}</ref> Stefan Lanka posed a challenge on his website in 2011, offering a sum of €100,000 for anyone who could scientifically prove that measles is caused by a virus and determine the diameter of the virus.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://magonia.com/files/stefan-lanka-sarampion.pdf|title=Das Masern-Virus 100.000 € Belohnung! WANTeD Der Durchmesser|language=de|date=24 November 2011|access-date=31 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402163126/http://magonia.com/files/stefan-lanka-sarampion.pdf|archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref> He posited that the illness is [[psychosomatic illness|psychosomatic]] and that the measles virus does not exist. When provided with overwhelming scientific evidence from various medical studies by German physician [[David Bardens]], Lanka did not accept the findings, forcing Bardens to appeal in court. The initial legal case ended with the ruling that Lanka was to pay the prize.<ref name="Elizabeth Whitman"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31864218|title=Germany court orders measles sceptic to pay 100,000 euros|publisher=[[BBC News Online]]|date=12 March 2015|access-date=31 March 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150331020314/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31864218|archive-date=31 March 2015}}</ref> However, on appeal, Lanka was ultimately not required to pay the award because the submitted evidence did not meet his exact requirements.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pepijnvanerp.nl/2017/01/disappointing-outcome-of-bardens-vs-lanka-measles-proven-to-exist-but-anti-vaxxer-lanka-keeps-his-money/|title=Disappointing outcome of Bardens vs. Lanka: measles proven to exist, but anti-vaxxer Lanka keeps his money|date=23 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701211525/http://www.pepijnvanerp.nl/2017/01/disappointing-outcome-of-bardens-vs-lanka-measles-proven-to-exist-but-anti-vaxxer-lanka-keeps-his-money/|archive-date=1 July 2017}}</ref> The case received wide international coverage that prompted many to comment on it, including [[neurologist]], well-known [[skeptic]] and [[science-based medicine]] advocate [[Steven Novella]], who called Lanka "a crank".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/yes-dr-lanka-measles-is-real/|title=Yes, Dr. Lanka, Measles is Real|last=Novella|first=Steven|publisher=NeuroLogica Blog|date=13 March 2015|access-date=31 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150331035815/http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/yes-dr-lanka-measles-is-real/|archive-date=31 March 2015|author-link=Steven Novella}}</ref>

As outbreaks easily occur in under-vaccinated populations, the disease is seen as a test of sufficient vaccination within a population.<ref>{{cite book |last=Abramson |first=Brian |title=Vaccine, vaccination, and immunization law |date=2018 |publisher=[[Bloomberg Law]] |isbn=978-1-68267-583-0 |pages=10–30}}</ref> Measles outbreaks have been on the rise in the United States, especially in communities with lower rates of vaccination.<ref name="CDC Outbreaks"/> A different vaccine distribution within a single territory by age or social class may define different general perceptions of vaccination efficacy.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Scirè |first=Giovanni |date=1 January 2021 |title=Modelling and assessing public health policies to counteract Italian measles outbreaks |url=https://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/abs/10.1504/IJSPM.2021.118832 |journal=International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling |volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=271–284 |doi=10.1504/IJSPM.2021.118832 |hdl=10447/513505 |issn=1740-2123 |hdl-access=free |access-date=6 May 2022 |archive-date=20 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120173734/https://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/abs/10.1504/IJSPM.2021.118832 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is often introduced to a region by travelers from other countries and it typically spreads to those who have not received the measles vaccination.<ref name="CDC Outbreaks"/>