Finding Reliable Information About Vaccines

Misinformation about vaccines confuses parents who may delay or refuse vaccines for their children, which places them and others at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. Many parents do not understand the risks and severity of these diseases but also are unaware that they are uninformed. There are a number of favorable factors available for educating parents about these diseases, their prevention, and how to counter misinformation: most parents are seeking a trusting health care relationship; they want more information; they appreciate guidance; and they are looking for means to validate the information that they find. These factors represent opportunities to enhance confidence in immunization programs by providing parents with the tools that they need. Pediatrics 2011;127:S134-S137