This column features a special focus on vaccination. It's a complex issue, but you'll find a wealth of resources at the sites profiled below. They represent a mix of views from government agencies, non-profit organizations (both large and small), corporations, foundations, and dedicated individuals.

Sites That Discourage Vaccination

National Vaccine Information Center

http://www.909shot.com

This parent-led organization advocates for reformation of the mass vaccination system. Their site contains a depth of well-organized information, starting with eight questions to ask before you vaccinate. You'll also find interviews, press releases, articles, statements, testimony, e-news, membership information, and summaries of key vaccination issues. Their website has earned a number of awards.

Australian Vaccination Network

http://www.avn.org.au

http://www.avn.org.au/links.htm

At first, I hesitated to include this site, because they're based 10,000 miles from my abode, but their website is worthy. They offer a discussion list and an action alert list, books and videos, and they collect data on adverse reactions. The links page is a treasure. I'm not sure what's in the member's section. You could join, and find out.

Vaccination Debate

http://www.vaccinationdebate.com

An essential tool. Note especially "Graphical Evidence Shows Vaccines Didn't Save Us”, "Why Vaccines are Harmful”, and "Doctors and Scientists Condemn Vaccination”.

Think Twice

http://www.ThinkTwice.com

This is a treasure from the Global Vaccine Institute. The site features frequently asked questions, studies, personal stories, information on individual vaccines, and a link called "Emotional Responses”. In that last section they note that "our website elicits strong reactions”, and they share both the "love letters” and the "angry letters”.

Vaccine Website

http://whale.to/vaccines.html

Gazillions of well-organized links maintained by a UK-based dad who didn't vaccinate his last two kids. The content is huge, and the site name is appropriate. I'll profile the whole whale.to site (not just the vaccine section) in a future "Web Page Potpourri” column.

Vaccination Information and Choice Network

http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/vaccine.htm

Lots of links put together by a dedicated R.N.

Vaccine Information and Awareness

http://home.san.rr.com/via

http://home.san.rr.com/via/STATES/allstates.htm

This is an understated treasure-trove. Note especially links to each state's exemption laws.

Vaccination News

http://www.vaccinationnews.com

This site is clearly a labor of love. It doesn't have all the accoutrements of a professional website. In fact, sometimes it's downright hard to navigate. (Frames open up inside of frames where they don't belong.) But for what the site lacks in design, it makes up for in content. In addition to daily vaccination news, you'll also find adverse reaction reports, full transcripts of congressional hearings, event listings, state legislative information, and you can sign up for an email newsletter. If you don't want to be depressed, don't click on the "Scandals” link.

Vaccine Injury Alliance

http://www.vaccineinjury.org

Law firms and legal professionals working to help families seek compensation for vaccine-related injuries.

Mercury Policy Center

http://mercurypolicy.org (Site is not available, 6/2/03)

Covers a range of mercury policy issues, including thimerosal and recent efforts to grant immunity from civil action to vaccine makers such as Eli Lilly.

 

Sites That Encourage Vaccination

 

National Immunization Program

http://www.cdc.gov/nip

A content-rich site from the Centers for Disease Control.

CDC Vaccination Recommendation

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/vaccinat.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/destinat.htm

Information for travelers, including recommendations for specific countries.

Children's Vaccine Program

http://childrensvaccine.org

Promoting equal access to new and lifesaving vaccines worldwide. This is a project of UniScience News Net, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Children's Vaccine Program (now called PATH: Program for Appropriate Technology in Health).

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

http://www.gatesfoundation.org

Search for words such as vaccine, vaccination, or immunization to learn about related funding projects.

The Vaccine Page and The Allied Vaccine Group

http://vaccines.org

These two sites are linked, sharing a common search engine.

Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule

http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/figures/256fig5.htm

This information from the American Academy of Pediatrics appears in the Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy.

 

Additional Resources

 

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System

http://www.vaers.org

A cooperative program from CDC and the FDA.

National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program

http://www.hrsa.gov/osp/vicp/INDEX.HTM

A cooperative program of Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Justice, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

 

Marjorie Roswell is a web developer and a geographic information specialist at the University of Maryland Baltimore County Center for Health Program Development and Management.

Marjorie Roswell
3443 Guilford Terrace
Baltimore, Maryland 21218 USA
Phone: 410-467-3727
Email: mroswell@charm.net