To celebrate World Immunisation Week (20-27 April) the Australian Academy of Science, in conjunction with The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, has distributed copies of The Science of Immunisation: Questions and Answers to approximately 5000 pharmacies around Australia.
The World Health Organisation’s goal for World Immunisation Week is to dispel myths about immunisation, and better communicate the health benefits of vaccination and the dangers of not immunising children.
Eight of Australia’s top researchers were brought together by the Academy to form a working group, co-chaired by Academy Fellows Professors Tony Basten and Ian Frazer, to produce the document.
The Science of Immunisation: Questions and Answers aims to address confusion created by contradictory information in the public domain. It has been endorsed by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Australian Medical Association.
Academy President, Professor Suzanne Cory, said the booklet explains in plain language the current situation in immunisation science, including where there is consensus in the scientific community and where uncertainties exist.
“Pharmacists are well placed in the community to provide a forum for a discussion about immunisation; the Academy is pleased to be able to work with the Guild to distribute our publication,” Professor Cory said.
“The Academy is concerned that people may choose not to immunise as a result of misinformation in the public domain: we hope that by promoting better understanding of the science behind immunisation, we are enabling people to make well informed choices about their health, the health of their children and the health of the broader community.”
The Science of Immunisation: Question and Answers is available free of charge and more than one million copies have been distributed in hardcopy or downloaded from the Academy's website.
© 2024 Australian Academy of Science
