Letter to the Editor

Scratching the Surface of the Antivaccination Phenomenon

Authors: Faysal Alhasan, MD, Leen Makki, MD, Steven Lippmann, MD

Abstract

To the Editor: Refusals and doubt about vaccine safety and/or effectiveness is not a recent problem. It has been present since the advent of smallpox vaccinations in the 18th century.1

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References

1. Wolfe RM, Sharp LK. Anti-vaccinationists past and present. BMJ 2002;325:430-432.
2. Pepys MB. Science and serendipity. Clin Med (Lond) 2007;7:562-578.
3. Salmon DA, Moulton LH, Omer SB, et al. Factors associated with refusal of childhood vaccines among parents of school-aged children: a case-control study. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2005;159:470-476.
4. Zipprich J, Hacker JK, Murray EL, et al. Notes from the field: measles-California, January 1-April 18, 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2014;63:362-363.
5. Domachowske JB, Suryadevara M. Practical approaches to vaccine hesitancy issues in the United States: 2013. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2013;9:2654-2657.