APHA: assure public on safety of vaccines.

With doctors reporting heightened fears over childhood immunizations among some parents, health advocates are joining forces to raise public confidence in vaccines.

In September, APHA and its fellow advocates in the Immunization Alliance issued a call to action to ensure that children continue to receive recommended immunizations, that vaccine safety research is adequately funded, and that parents and caregivers have the knowledge to make fully informed decisions. The alliance is also calling on federal health officials to undertake a public campaign reinforcing the importance of immunizations, and is urging the media to "keep the public interest foremost in their treatment of this subject, and to consider the potential consequences of lending credence to various publicity efforts and spokespersons without a complete and critical review of the scientific merit of these sources."