In a January 22 podcast interview, the chair of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee stated his opinion that all vaccines should be optional. The comments depart from decades of federal vaccine guidance. Many health care and public health professionals criticized the remarks. Some social media users pointed to recent increases in vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough, which have been linked to declining childhood vaccination rates. Vaccine opponents defended the comments, arguing that parents should have the right to refuse any vaccine and that schools should not prevent children who are unvaccinated from enrolling.
Recommendation
Misleading and conflicting claims about the importance of childhood vaccines may influence parents’ decisions to vaccinate, particularly when such claims come from health officials. Health communicators may continue to lead with evidence from trusted sources such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Vaccine Education Center. Messaging may emphasize that the science has not changed: Decades of evidence show that vaccines are the safest and most effective way to protect children from preventable diseases like polio, measles, and whooping cough. Messaging may also explain why vaccines are recommended and the risks associated with the diseases they prevent.
Fact-checking sources: AAP, CHOP
Communication resources: Explore the topic page on pediatric immunization
