Immunization Newsbriefs (c) Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii's new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.

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March 20, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Better Media Coverage of Vaccines Needed; Study"

Reuters Health Information Services (www.reutershealth.com) (03/19/02); Norton, Amy

A Journal of the American Medical Association study by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that the media and scientists need to do a better job informing the public about what they can realistically expect from such medical advances as vaccines.  The researchers analyzed news coverage between 1987 and 2001 regarding the rise and fall of the rotavirus vaccine against childhood diarrhea.  In their study, the researchers found that when the vaccine was first developed, the stories in the media were very positive; but when the vaccine was linked to bowel obstruction in 1999, the media coverage became very negative.  According to one of the researchers, a more balanced approach to providing information could prevent the "abrupt shifts" in media attention and the associated changes in public perception that together could undermine overall vaccination efforts.

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.