Expert: Vaccination myths must be debunked
October 30, 2018 by Jeff Falk, Rice University
An analysis of anti-vaccine witness statements presented during the Texas Legislature's 2017 session revealed recurring misconceptions that need to be challenged, according to an expert at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Kirstin Matthews, a fellow in science and technology policy in the Center for Health and Biosciences at the Baker Institute, is available to discuss the science and necessity of vaccinations with the media. She and Baker Institute graduate intern Melody Tan are the authors of two new issue briefs that examine the common anti-vaccine arguments and misconceptions presented during public hearings for two Texas House bills on vaccinations.
According to Matthews and Tan, the five recurring misconceptions are vaccines are ineffective, herd immunity is a myth, vaccines "shed" and cause the spread of disease, the impacts of vaccine-preventable diseases are minor and vaccine-exempt children are not spreading disease. "Each of these myths is inaccurate and unscientific," the authors wrote. "Furthermore, the witnesses failed to use accurate scientific data to justify them. The few witnesses who did try to cite research grossly misunderstood or misinterpreted the data."
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-10-expert-vaccination-myths-debunked.html
