Understanding Vaccines and Vaccine Safety
The fact sheets below provide information about vaccine testing, safety, monitoring, and the process for establishing the U.S. immunization schedule.
These materials are intended to help health care professionals keep up to date on vaccine topics. The sheets may also be distributed to parents wanting in-depth information on these topics after talking to their child’s doctor. Most sheets include references and published scientific studies.
Printed size: 8-1/2"x 11", 2 pages
Commercial printer files available upon request
Understanding MMR Vaccine Safety
(Updated Feb 2013; posted Apr 2013)
Addresses common questions about the MMR vaccine, including those related to side effects and effectiveness.
Understanding How Vaccines Work
(Reviewed Feb 2013; posted Apr 2013)
Explains how the immune system responds to vaccines to build immunity.
Understanding the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)
(Updated Feb 2013; posted Apr 2013)
Describes one of the components of the United States' comprehensive vaccine safety monitoring system.
Ensuring the Safety of Vaccines in the United States
(Reviewed Feb 2013; posted Apr 2013)
Outlines how vaccines are tested for safety before being licensed for use and how their safety is monitored after licensure.
Understanding Thimerosal, Mercury, and Vaccine Safety
(Reviewed Feb 2013; posted Apr 2013)
Explains what thimerosal is, why it is used as a preservative in multi-dose vials of flu vaccine, and highlights conclusions from studies examining thimerosal safety in vaccines.
The Childhood Immunization Schedule
(Reviewed Feb 2013; posted Apr 2013)
Describes how the U.S. recommended immunization schedule is set.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)
(Updated Feb 2013; posted Apr 2013)
Provides details about the group of experts who make U.S. immunization recommendations.
About These Materials
These materials, collectively called Provider Resources for Vaccine Conversations with Parents, have been developed by CDC, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
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