Messages on Vaccine Safety May Backfire

Childhood vaccines save about $10 in total costs to society for every $1 spent, a new study finds. But another study finds that messages about the value and safety of vaccines may backfire. The first study found that vaccines led to nearly $69 billion in medical and economic savings for U.S. babies born in 2009. In the other study, more than 1,700 parents answered questions about their attitudes toward vaccines. Then they were randomly divided into groups that received different messages. One message explained that there’s no evidence that the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism. Another discussed the dangers of the diseases that MMR prevents. A third message featured a mother talking about her baby’s severe illness with measles. The fourth message included photographs of children with illnesses that vaccines can prevent.