TY - JOUR
T1 - The challenge of vaccine safety
AU - Jacobson, Robert M.
AU - Zabel, Kim S.
AU - Poland, Gregory A.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported in part by NIH grants AI33144 and AI48793.
PY - 2002/7
Y1 - 2002/7
N2 - Vaccines always will involve some risk, and risk always involves some public concern. Although the benefits of routine vaccination greatly outweigh any adverse effects, our consumer society seeks to eliminate all risk. The balance of risk and benefit appears to falter by the very success of preventing disease: in the immediate absence of the disease, the resolve to vaccinate waivers. We cannot expect the public to think in terms of the decision analyst and carefully weigh probability, risk, and benefit in a numerical fashion. In fact, the public's approach toward vaccination is varied and unscientific. Recognizing these challenges, we propose a program of continued vigilance by increasing our scientific base and methodology, improving vaccine safety communication through research and resources, maintaining a tolerance of conscientious objection as a safety valve for mandated routine vaccination in civilians, and calling for more research funding for the development of new vaccines.
AB - Vaccines always will involve some risk, and risk always involves some public concern. Although the benefits of routine vaccination greatly outweigh any adverse effects, our consumer society seeks to eliminate all risk. The balance of risk and benefit appears to falter by the very success of preventing disease: in the immediate absence of the disease, the resolve to vaccinate waivers. We cannot expect the public to think in terms of the decision analyst and carefully weigh probability, risk, and benefit in a numerical fashion. In fact, the public's approach toward vaccination is varied and unscientific. Recognizing these challenges, we propose a program of continued vigilance by increasing our scientific base and methodology, improving vaccine safety communication through research and resources, maintaining a tolerance of conscientious objection as a safety valve for mandated routine vaccination in civilians, and calling for more research funding for the development of new vaccines.
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U2 - 10.1053/spid.2002.125865
DO - 10.1053/spid.2002.125865
M3 - Article
C2 - 12199618
AN - SCOPUS:0036628945
SN - 1045-1870
VL - 13
SP - 215
EP - 220
JO - Seminars in Pediatric Infectious Diseases
JF - Seminars in Pediatric Infectious Diseases
IS - 3
ER -