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Date and Location

May 9, 2019
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM ET
B-503 (m-rcbg Conference Room)

Contact

617-495-9379
Truth or Consequences: Reversing vaccine hesitancy and misinformation threats to our future Photo

Since January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported over 700 measles cases in 22 States, with the prospect of many more to come. It’s the worst measles outbreak in 25 years.
Measles outbreaks are occurring globally as well as a vaccine hesitancy on an number of vaccines protecting all of us from children to adults from a myriad of diseases.

Nationally, we have forgotten how serious measles, and other childhood diseases like mumps, rubella and pertussis can be. Community protection against measles requires a 95% vaccination rate, with a national average well below that level.

This Study Group will present a brief backdrop of how we arrived at a new risk factor of misinformation for vaccination creating vaccine hesitancy that has contributed to these outbreaks that threaten us all. The main thrust of the presenters and participants will be to help chart a course forward - from communication to policy measures - to reverse the challenging trend that could be termed political and media malpractice.

Speakers and Presenters

M-RCBG Senior Fellow, Scott Ratzan & Yvonne MacPherson, BBC Media Action & Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society

Organizer