Researchers recently published their results of an international survey about vaccine safety in the online medical journal EBioMedicine. A vaccine is something that a doctor gives to a patient to protect them from getting a certain disease in the future. Although vaccination has been a very common way to work on stopping diseases for many years, part of the world’s population now believes that vaccines can be dangerous for the people getting vaccinated.

The research project surveyed about 66,000 people in 67 countries and asked them if they felt that vaccines are safe to use. Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine were joined by four other medical schools to conduct the survey. They compiled the results and made a ranking of international attitudes toward vaccines. This new information contained some useful revelations and perhaps will help governments focus on educating the public about vaccines and health.

As the survey results show, Europe was the most distrustful of vaccines, and France in particular doubted the usefulness of vaccines more than any other country. In the France survey, 41% of people responded that they felt vaccines are unsafe. Though perhaps unexpected, this answer may be understandable, since France experienced some small scandals in the past 20 years regarding side effects of some vaccines. These scandals might contribute to the public’s negative views. Other countries where many people feel vaccines are unsafe include: Bosnia and Herzegovina (36%), Russia (28%), Mongolia (27%), Greece, Ukraine, and Japan (all 25%).

The survey also showed some strange contradictions. In many countries that felt vaccines are unsafe, many people also answered that vaccines are important. People in France, Russia, Japan, and other countries responded that they felt vaccines are not safe, but vaccines are important. This could suggest that people feel vaccines are important for health, but they do not trust some part of the vaccination system.

Lack of trust in vaccination has already created some problems in the US. In Arizona, an outbreak of measles put unvaccinated children in danger. Normally, measles is a disease that no longer exists in the US, thanks to almost everyone in the US getting vaccinated against measles in the past. The parents of the children who got measles in Arizona recently chose not to have their children vaccinated, and the disease was brought back to the US by someone who moved there from another country.

The latest research is not a complete survey and does not show everything about international vaccine attitudes perfectly. However, the researchers who worked on it feel it is an important first step in studying vaccine attitudes around the world. Now, future researchers can compare their new results with the results of this survey to measure changes in public health attitudes, and perhaps ask more detailed questions about the reasons behind people’s distrust. This will help governments plan their public health education more effectively for people and locations that are at risk for disease outbreaks.

Results of an international survey about vaccine safety recently came out in the online medical journal EBioMedicine. A vaccine is something that a doctor gives to a patient so they don’t get sick. Although getting vaccines from doctors is common in many countries, some people believe that vaccines can be dangerous for people’s health.

The research project surveyed about 66,000 people in 67 countries and asked them if vaccines are safe. Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and four other schools worked together to do the survey. They looked at the results and made a list of international opinions on vaccines. This new information could maybe help governments educate people about vaccines and health.

The survey shows that Europe had the most people who do not trust vaccines. France in particular doubted vaccines more than any other country. In the France survey, 41% of people answered that they think vaccines are unsafe. This result might be surprising, but France had some scandals about vaccines in the past 20 years. These scandals might add to people’s negative views. Some people think vaccines are unsafe in other countries also, for example: Bosnia and Herzegovina (36%), Russia (28%), Mongolia (27%), Greece, Ukraine, and Japan (all 25%).

The survey also showed some strange results. In many countries that felt vaccines are unsafe, many people also answered that vaccines are important. People in France, Russia, Japan, and other countries answered that they felt vaccines are not safe, but vaccines are important. Maybe people feel vaccines are important for health, but they do not trust their country’s vaccination system.

Because some people do not trust vaccines, the US recently had some problems with children’s health. In Arizona, a big group of children got measles. The parents of these children didn’t want their children to get the measles vaccine. Measles is a disease that normally does not happen in the US anymore. The measles virus died out in the US after almost everyone there received the measles vaccine. But in this case, someone from outside the US accidentally brought measles to Arizona. The children who never got the measles vaccine got very sick.

The latest research does not have results from every country in the world. However, the researchers feel it is an important first step in studying vaccine attitudes around the world. Now, researchers can compare their future results with the results of this survey to look at changes in people’s thinking. This will help governments plan their health education better for places where sickness is a big problem.