BACKGROUND:
Health professionals providing vaccination services are encountering more parents and patients with questions about the safety, efficacy, and continuing importance of vaccines. Responding to such individuals requires knowledge, tact, and time, and can be a source of frustration to a busy health care provider.

OBJECTIVE:
First, to collect the most common questions and misconceptions about vaccines and immunization. Second, to distill years of research into 3-6 “talking points” in response to each question. Third, to provide related resources for further reading on each topic.

METHOD:
Questions and misconceptions about vaccines and immunizations were gathered from vaccine-critical websites, individual writers and speakers, and personal experience at the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC). Talking points were developed from information available from CDC, IAC, the National Network for Immunization Information, the Vaccine Education Center at CHOP, WHO, and more.

RESULT:
Talking points (ranging from 3-6 statements) were developed for 20 common questions/misconceptions. Each topic statement and related talking points can fit on a 3x5 index card. Website links for additional background resources for parents and patients are included for each topic.

CONCLUSION:
The media and vaccine-critical groups continue to generate controversy about vaccines, causing more and more parents and patients to have questions for their health care professional. If the provider has a game plan for answering the most likely questions, he/she will be able to provide accurate, concise, and effective answers without wasting precious time.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1) Know the vaccine questions/concerns likely to be encountered by a health care professional, 2) Be able to answer each of these questions in an empathetic, but efficient way, 3) Be able to refer patients/parents to good resources that provide more detailed information on their topic of interest.