In May’s podcast from LSHTM Chandrika Nath interviewed anthropologist Dr Heidi Larson. Dr Larson and her team have been monitoring public concerns over vaccines in real time using online news and social media. They have analysed and categorised over 10,000 reports from 144 countries.
“The Internet has speeded up the global spread of unchecked rumours and misinformation about vaccines and can seriously undermine public confidence , leading to low rates of vaccine uptake and even disease outbreaks....” reported Dr Larson. “Recent measles outbreaks in the UK stemming from children not-vaccinated due to fears prompted by now-discredited research over a decade ago are another example of the long-term consequences of broken public trust in vaccines”
POST recently published a short resume of the UK’s current childhood vaccination schedule (PDF 136 KB) and is planning further work on the topic later in the year. (
PDF 136 KB)