Resources

• Canada’s eight-step vaccine safety program: Vaccine literacy.
  MacDonald N Pickering L.
  Canadian Paediatric Society; 2009
  Immunization to control serious infectious diseases has been one of the outstanding achievements of preventive health medicine. But hand in hand with the growing success of vaccine prevention of major scourges such as polio, measles, invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b disease and hepatitis B has come a rise in parental concerns regarding the safety of vaccines in a number of countries. Some parents are now so troubled by vaccine safety that they are choosing not to have their children immunized, sometimes with tragic results.
  
  Erosion of public trust in vaccines seems to be occurring despite more than two decades of effort to educate the public about the risks of vaccine-preventable diseases and the benefits and excellent safety profiles of the recommended childhood vaccines. An expanded approach to ensure and, if necessary, restore public confidence in vaccines is needed. Health care providers who are involved in immunization delivery have a key role to play. The present Paediatric Infectious Disease Note outlines a strategy for helping health care providers increase public trust in vaccines.
• Common myths about flu shots. (PDF: 59k)
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion; 2003
  Briefly discusses and refutes three common myths about influenza immunization.
• Communicating the benefits and risks of vaccines to parents.
  - Infectious Diseases in Children 2003.
  SLACK Incorporated
  Explores vaccine safety issues and the common concerns that parents have about immunizing their children. Includes following sections: Truths about vaccines, Myths regarding immunization, Communication in the physician’s office, and Matching communication styles with parent personalities.
• Communicating the benefits and risks of vaccines to parents.
  Marshall Gary S.
  - Infectious Diseases in Children 2003.
  SLACK Incorporated
  Reviews common misconceptions about vaccines and offers factually accurate information about vaccines.
• Hepatitis A: questions and answers: information about the disease and vaccines. (PDF: 58k)
  Immunization Action Coalition
  Answers general questions about the hepatitis A virus.
• Hepatitis B: questions and answers: information about the disease and vaccines. (PDF: 78k)
  Immunization Action Coalition
  Answers general questions about the hepatitis A virus.
• Human papillomavirus, vaccines and women’s health: questions and cautions (CMAJ).
  Lippman Abby, Melnychuk Ryan, Shimmin Carolyn, Boscoe Madeline.
  - Canadian Medical Association Journal 2007;177(5):484-7.
  Canadian Medical Association
  » PubMed: 17671239
  Summarizes some of the main questions and concerns that need to be addressed before there is a fullscale rollout of an HPV vaccination program.
• Immunization information on the Internet: Can you trust what you read? (PDF: 512k)
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion; 2008
  Helps readers judge whether a website is trustworthy.
• Immunization: Get the facts. (PDF: 389k)
  CCIAP .
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion; 2010
  This pamphlet provides information and answers four common questions and misconceptions about vaccine safety, vaccine contents, and multiple injections.
• Influenza Bulletin # 1: Influenza vaccine safety. (PDF: 407k)
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion; 2008
• Influenza Bulletin # 2: Why should I get a flu shot? (PDF: 341k)
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion; 2008
• Influenza Bulletin # 3: Seniors and the flu shot. (PDF: 391k)
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion; 2008
• Influenza Bulletin # 4: Influenza and pregnancy. (PDF: 382k)
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion; 2008
• Influenza immunization : frequently asked questions. (PDF: 93k)
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion
  Answers common questions about the flu and influenza vaccination.
• Is it a cold or influenza? (PDF: 96k)
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion; 2010
  Provides a table that lists symptoms and identifies whether they are associated with a cold or influenza.
• Measles: questions and answers (IAC). (PDF: 54k)
  Immunization Action Coalition
  Answers general questions about the measles.
• Misconceptions about immunization (Quackwatch).
  Quackwatch; 2006
  Addresses ten misconceptions that can lead parents to question the wisdom of immunizing their children. Provides links to news and resources.
• Misconceptions about the flu.
  CBC News; 2007
  Addresses the top 10 misconceptions about the flu and the influenza vaccine.
• The MMR vaccine does NOT cause autism. (PDF)
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion; 2008
• Multiple injections do NOT overwhelm the immune system. (PDF)
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion; 2008
• Myth : the risks of immunizing children often outweigh the benefits. (PDF: 175k)
  Canadian Health Services Research Foundation; 2006
  Investigates the myth that the risks of vaccinating children outweighs the benefits.
• A postmodern Pandora's Box: Anti-vaccination misinformation on the Internet. (PDF: 285k)
  Kata Anna.
  - Vaccine 2009;28:1709-1716.
  Elsevier
  The Internet plays a large role in disseminating anti-vaccination information. This paper builds upon previous research by analyzing the arguments proffered on anti-vaccination websites, determining the extent of misinformation present, and examining discourses used to support vaccine objections. Arguments around the themes of safety and effectiveness, alternative medicine, civil liberties, conspiracy theories, and morality were found on the majority of websites analyzed; misinformation was also prevalent.
• Questions and answers (US NICHH).
  National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
  Answers the question of whether there is a link between autism and vaccines.
• Questions & answers about adult immunization. (PDF: 68k)
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion; 2005
  Answers common questions about adult vaccinations.
• Questions and answers about vaccination (Health Canada).
  Public Health Agency of Canada; 2002
  Answers questions about vaccination.
• Six common misconceptions about immunization (WHO).
  World Health Organization
  Addresses six common misconceptions about vaccination that are often cited by concerned parents as reasons to question the wisdom of having their children vaccinated.
• The UK accelerated immunization programme and sudden unexpected death in infancy : case-control study. (PDF: 426k)
  Fleming Peter J., Blair Peter S., Platt Martin Ward, Tripp John, Smith Iain J., Golding Jean. / CESDI SUDI research group
  - BMJ 2001;322(7290):822-5.
  BMJ
  » PubMed: 11290634
  Investigates whether the accelerated immunization programme in the United Kingdom is associated with sudden infant death syndrome.
• Vaccine concerns (Offit & US IAC). (PDF: 97k)
  Lists the most commonly believed stories about vaccines and tries to separate fact from myth. Excerpted from “Vaccines: What You Should Know,” 3rd ed.
• Vaccine myths (Offit & US IAC). (PDF: 81k)
  Offit Paul A., Bell Louis M.
  Immunization Action Coalition; 1999
  Lists the most commonly aired stories about vaccines and separates fact from myth.
• Vaccine myths and why they are dangerous (CPHO). (PDF: 102k)
  Butler-Jones David.
  - Toronto Star 2005:A13-14.
  Toronto Star
  Gives a warning of what Canada would be like today if not for immunizations and warns of risks that result, such as preventable disease outbreaks, if vaccines are not taken.
• Vaccine Research, Development and Awareness: Front Line Medicine. (PDF: 2.1m)
  Globe and Mail .
  Globe and Mail; 2010
  With a proud history of health research and promotion, and ongoing contributions to the development and distribution of disease-fighting vaccines, Canada is well positioned to put our health innovation and expertise to even fuller benefit for the world and our society and economy. Coudl this be just the shot in the arm Canada needs? Proponents say yes, and are encouraging the public to tune into the benefits.
• Vaccines do NOT contain cells from aborted fetuses. (PDF)
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion; 2008
• Vaccines do NOT contain harmful additives. (PDF)
  Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness & Promotion; 2008
• YouTube as a source of information on immunization: a content analysis (AMA). (PDF: 63k)
  Keelan Jennifer, Pavri-Garcia Vera, Tomlinson George, Wilson Kumanan.
  - JAMA : Journal of the American Medical Association 2007;298(31):2482-4.
  » PubMed: 18056901
  Explores the available information about immunization on YouTube.