Vaccine Safety: Myths and Misinformation

Abstract

The World Health Organization has named vaccine hesitancy as one of the top ten threats to global health in 2019. The reasons why people choose not to vaccinate are complex, but lack of confidence in vaccine safety, driven by concerns about adverse events, has been identified as one of the key factors. Healthcare workers, especially those in primary care, remain key influencers on vaccine decisions. It is important, therefore, that they be supported by having easy access to trusted, evidencebased information on vaccines. Although parents and patients have a number of concerns about vaccine safety, among the most common are fears that adjuvants like aluminum, preservatives like mercury, inactivating agents like formaldehyde, manufacturing residuals like human or animal DNA fragments, and simply the sheer number of vaccines might be overwhelming, weakening or perturbing the immune system. As a consequence, some fear that vaccines are causing autism, diabetes, developmental delays, hyperactivity, and attention-deficit disorders, amongst others. In this review we will address several of these topics and highlight the robust body of scientific evidence that refutes common concerns about vaccine safety.

Autism in Australia: Community Knowledge and Autistic People’s Experiences

“…Approaches to the diagnosis of autism have historically lacked consistency (Geoghegan, O’Callaghan, and Offit 2020a , b ). A qualitative study conducted with 14 autistic women found that their late diagnosis was often because doctors and educators mistakenly believed that autism is a male condition, therefore missing the signs of autism in females (Bargiela, Steward, and Mandy 2016 ).…”

“…The Australian government has recently announced a new national standard for the diagnosis of autism in Australia that aims to address the lack of consistency in diagnosis of autism. The guidelines adopt a person-centered approach, which emphasise listening to individuals and their families about their strengths and needs (Geoghegan, O’Callaghan, and Offit 2020a , b ). Early, timely, and accurate identification and diagnosis is critical to ensure that autistic people receive appropriate support services.…”

“…Autism is a condition which is surrounded by misperceptions and myths; even when scientifically disproven, these myths can be difficult to dispel. Perhaps the most well-known is the myth that autism is caused by vaccination; while this has been strongly and repeatedly discredited (Geoghegan, O’Callaghan, and Offit 2020a , b ), the anti-vaccine movement still prevails in some settings (Davidson 2017 ). The stereotype of autism conveys that autistic people have no empathy (Hadjikhani 2014 ), are disinterested in social relationships (John et al 2018 ), and are troubled or emotionally unstable (Solomon 2020 ).…”

Influenza vaccination among U.S. pediatric patients receiving care from federally funded health centers

“…Beyond concerns specific to influenza vaccine, more generalized concerns may influence decisions to vaccinate. Concerns over safety and vaccine ingredients, number of vaccines administered, mistrust of the mainstream medical system, and the belief that vaccination should be a personal choice persist, and are often shaped by a parent's social sphere of influence [50][51][52][53].…”

SARS-CoV-2: To be or not to be vaccinated?

“…Presently, such vaccine hesitancy may be viewed as “abnormal”. Routine vaccinations are widely recognized as effective preventive interventions to reduce or eradicate viral illnesses, saving millions of lives throughout the world [ 1 ]. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine has been presented as the solution to exit the worldwide health, socio-political, and economic crises [ 2 , 3 ].…”