How Doctors Can Win the Vaccine Debate With Patients

The measles outbreak that has spread from California to other states has reignited the debate over vaccines, but this time with a different twist.

News stories have been focusing on the threat posed by children who are not vaccinated. While anti-vaccine advocates continue to get press attention, there are also stories which underscore the public health threat posed by parents who fail to get their children vaccinated. And a number of stories reported on the case of an immunocompromised child and his parents who feared for his life.

With the renewed focus on vaccines, MedPage Today went to Walter Orenstein, MD, associate director of the Emory Vaccine Center in Atlanta, where researchers have examined the phenomenon of vaccine refusal. In this video, Orenstein discusses the data on vaccine refusal and provides suggestions on what physicians can do to help get more children vaccinated.

This article was first published on MedPage Today and reprinted with permission. Free registration is required.