Safety Handout for Parents (8/18/08)

The Academy leadership is working diligently with other immunization advocacy groups, public health agencies and communication specialists to promote the value and safety of immunizations to the general public.  We are also trying to convince the federal government to invest more resources in educating the public about immunization efficacy and the federal vaccine safety system.  While these national efforts are developing and strengthening, it is very important that we educate our patients' families, one by one, and now, about the value and safety of immunizations.  We hope that you can use this back-and-front one-page resource to promote the immunization program to the families of your patients. ~Dave Tayloe, President-Elect, American Academy of Pediatrics

Talking to Parents
This web page provides useful background information for pediatricians and parents regarding vaccines and autism.

Parental Refusal to Vaccinate Resources

Vaccine Safety Datalink Project
This project provides comprehensive medical and immunization histories for more than 5.5 million people annually, which are derived from participating managed care organizations that contain more than 9 million members. (Exit Site)

Tele-briefing Statement on Vaccine Safety (Exit Site)
On July 19, 2005, Julie Gerberding, MD, Director, CDC, joined the AAP and others in affirming the safety and efficacy of vaccines and commitment to child health. Click the link above for a transcript of Dr Gerberding's remarks and related media questions. Transcripts for other speakers are not available. For a copy of the HHS Fact Sheet on Vaccines and Child Health, click here.

Institute of Medicine (IOM) Reports

• Immunization Safety Review: Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine and Autism (April 2001)
• Immunization Safety Review: Thimerosal - Containing Vaccines and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (October 2001)
  
• Immunization Safety Review: Multiple Immunizations and Immune Dysfunction (February 2002)
  
• Immunization Safety Review: Hepatitis B Vaccine and Demyelinating Neurological Disorders (May 2002)
• Immunization Safety Review: Vaccinations and Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (March 2003)
  
• Immunization Safety Review: Influenza Vaccines and Neurological Complications (October 2003)
  
• Immunization Safety Review: Vaccines and Autism (May 2004)
  

Statement by Dr. Harvey Fineberg, President of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, on the Immunization Safety Review Committee (Exit Site)
This document offers information about the established processes and policies of the National Academies that ensure the impartiality and integrity of all IOM studies.

Vaccine Safety Bibliography (Exit Site)
This bibliography lists articles that focus on issues and research related to vaccines, vaccinations, and immunization. References that primarily focus on the following issues are excluded: animals or animal research, HIV/AIDS vaccines, clinical studies if earlier than Phase III, and studies of vaccines/vaccination for non-immunization applications. The citations are for English-language articles from biomedical journals published in the United States and abroad.

Vaccine Safety Organizations

• World Health Organization (Exit Site)
• Institute for Vaccine Safety- Johns Hopkins (Exit Site)
• CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Vaccine Safety (Exit Site)