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December 20, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Survey Finds Major Misconceptions About Smallpox"

Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) (12/20/02) P. A38; Brown, David; Connolly, Ceci

Results from new survey indicate that many Americans still lack basic facts about the smallpox virus and the vaccine.  The study's author, Robert Blendon of Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, said a number of people polled believed that smallpox was treatable and were unaware that there has not been a diagnosed case of the disease worldwide in 25 years. Of the 1,000 people surveyed, 16 percent believed there was a sufficient supply of the vaccine stockpiled to vaccinate every American, and many said the affluent segment of the population would likely have easier access to the vaccine.  Blendon expressed concern about the people's level of knowledge about the disease and the vaccine, noting "they just don't have enough information to make these decisions."  The results of his study will be published in an upcoming issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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