KEYWORDS:
Vaccine critics, website, listserv

BACKGROUND:
Organizations opposed to immunization have been around since the time of Edward Jenner. Recently, their influence has grown due to efficient communication technology. Many people are being influenced by groups critical of immunization and "alternative" practitioners of medicine. In some areas of the nation (and world), enough parents have refused to vaccinate their children to cause epidemics of vaccine-preventable diseases.

OBJECTIVE(S):
1) To collect and organize information about groups critical of vaccination, including name, leadership, mission and vision statements, website URL, listserv, publications, and funding sources.
2) To provide participants with resources for parents and patients designed to answer claims of vaccine critics.

METHOD(S):
Objective 1: IAC will gather information from organizations' websites, publications, and public documents such as 990 IRS disclosures.
Objective 2: IAC publishes educational pieces for parents and providers, as well as a new website for the public (www.vaccineinformation.org). IAC will also collect useful resources from other organizations.

RESULT(S):
Objective 1: IAC has developed fact sheets about organizations critical of U.S. vaccination policy, including: National Vaccine Information Center, PROVE, Citizens for Healthcare Freedom, Vaccine Information & Awareness, ThinkTwice Global Vaccine Institute, Vaccination News, Vaccine Policy Institute, Anti Vaccination League, Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, American Chiropractic Association, International Chiropractors Association, World Chiropractic Alliance, International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.
Objective 2: Many resources are available to providers to help them respond to patients' vaccine questions.

CONCLUSIONS(S):
Vaccine critics are becoming increasingly vocal and have many communication methods at their disposal. Health professionals need to be aware of what their patients are being exposed to, and must be able to provide accurate and understandable scientific messages to counter misinformation.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1) Participants will learn names, philosophies, and influence of organizations critical of vaccination.
2) Participants will receive information about reliable immunization resources.