Vaccine rejection and hesitancy: a review and call to action

TC Smith - Open forum infectious diseases, 2017 - academic.oup.com
Open forum infectious diseases, 2017academic.oup.com
Vaccine refusal has been a recurring story in the media for well over a decade. Although
there is scant evidence that refusal is genuinely increasing in the population, multiple
studies have demonstrated concerning patterns of decline of confidence in vaccines, the
medical professionals who administer vaccines, and the scientists who study and develop
vaccines. As specialists in microbiology, immunology, and infectious diseases, scientists are
content experts but often lack the direct contact with individuals considering vaccination for …
Abstract
Vaccine refusal has been a recurring story in the media for well over a decade. Although there is scant evidence that refusal is genuinely increasing in the population, multiple studies have demonstrated concerning patterns of decline of confidence in vaccines, the medical professionals who administer vaccines, and the scientists who study and develop vaccines. As specialists in microbiology, immunology, and infectious diseases, scientists are content experts but often lack the direct contact with individuals considering vaccination for themselves or their children that healthcare professionals have daily. This review examines the arguments and players in the US antivaccination scene, and it discusses ways that experts in infectious diseases can become more active in promoting vaccination to friends, family, and the public at large.
Oxford University Press