The Rise of Vaccine Misinformation

Segment Description: Tina Q. Tan, MD, discusses vaccine misinformation.

Interview Transcript (Modified Slightly for Readability):

So people that are anti vaccine have been around since vaccines have been developed.However, it really took an increase when Andrew Wakefield came out with his fraudulent information on autism and vaccination.

We've always had people that were against vaccines. However, I think what has really driven the increase in the amount of misinformation is the internet. There are so many people that are on social media and the internet and not all the information on the internet is correct. But people don't know what the reliable sites are. They read whatever comes up first on the internet and many times that's an anti-vaccine site.

Clinicians really should spend a little time explaining why vaccines are important and how they are one of the best ways that parents can protect their children against getting vaccine preventable diseases.