Resources for Parents - Vaccine Safety

Parents are often presented with conflicting information about vaccines and their safety through the media and the internet, some of which may not be based on sound science. The following resources may help parents better understand why immunizations are important and dispel some myths about their safety.

Vaccine.org
An alliance comprised of organizations dedicated to presenting valid scientific information about vaccines. This site offers facts for providers, parents, journalists, and policymakers, and provides links to organizations that provide fair and balanced information on vaccines. Members include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Immunization Action Coalition, Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases, and the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): How Vaccines Prevent Disease
A brief description of how vaccines protect children from disease from the CDC National Immunization Program.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Parents’ Guide to Immunizations
Frequently asked questions to guide parents on childhood immunizations.

CDC: Vaccine Safety Information for Parents
Learn how vaccines are monitored for safety. Also includes information on the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program from the CDC Immunization Safety Office.

CDC: Vaccine Side Effects
Learn more about known vaccine side effects from the CDC National Immunization Program website.

CDC: Common vaccine safety concerns
Answer to common questions about vaccine safety.

Real-life Accounts of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Read real-life accounts of people who have suffered or died from vaccine-preventable diseases: compelling personal testimonies, remembrances, case reports, and newspaper articles.

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: Vaccine Safety: Are Vaccines Safe?
Article examines four different vaccines and the diseases they prevent.