Hi and thanks for visiting our site!
We're hoping to make this into a drop-by resource that you can use to help clear up questions you or your friends, colleagues or family may have about vaccines. There is lots of fake news and misinformation out there right now - we aim to make this a place you can trust.
If the info you need isn't on these pages then we'll have lots of links to sources that are safe, science-backed and trustworthy.
Vaccination is one of the most successful public health endeavours ever. Vaccines are well tested before they are released - so scientists and Doctors have evidence of their safety. Don't be fooled by those who say otherwise. If you or your child is due for a vaccination - talk with your doctor or vaccine service provider. They can explain any rare risks associated with a vaccine, and outline the benefits of immunization (developing an immune response after vaccination) to your child, you, your family and others around you.
VaxFacts will initially aim to:
- link to trustworthy sources of information about vaccines and vaccination - and discuss how to spot such info
- debunk untruths, exaggerations or falsehoods about vaccines - and discuss how to spot such material
- identify misleading websites that pretend to be presenting the "truth" about vaccines, but actually deliberately misleading you - perhaps trying to guess at why they want to mislead you as well
- unpack shiny and loud but completely misleading memes that get sent around pretending to be telling you facts but actually trying to trick you into believing the opposite
Identifying reliable sources of information is important for any discussion.
For vaccine discussions, reliability comes from those who tirelessly work to protect your health and to prevent the spread of disease. Be alert for those with zero experience working in science, medicine or public health-they may have their own personal motives for telling you their conspiracy theories, but they are unlikley to be based on the truth.
Each vaccine aims to help us avoid a disease for which it was specifically designed by targeting its cause. Vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) include cancer, Polio, severe gastroenteritis, influenza, tuberculosis, meningococcal disease, tetanus, whooping cough and more.
VPDs can be quick acting, chronic, painful, debilitating and sometimes deadly. Disease outbreaks also create big financial burdens and they may impact on those around us who are at greater risk of severe disease including you older relatives and those who for some reason, are unable to be vaccinated.
A few final things about VaxFacts and its principal Editor (Ian M. Mackay, PhD...me)
- I'm not paid by "bigPharma" - any pharmaceutical company that makes or sells vaccines - in fact I'm not paid for my time or any content I put here at all.
- I'm a father of two - my entire family is up-to-date with their vaccinations. Like other parents, I thought about the risks versus the benefits before vaccination. I spoke with family doctors and I read using trustworthy sources of information.
- Content on this new site is not medical or legal advice. I am not a medical doctor - although some of VacFact's friends are and that will be made clear in any posts.
- If a post contains incorrect info, I will fix that mistake up as soon as I'm aware of it. These changes will be noted one the page so everything will be transparent. Mostly, these will be fixing my horrible typing!
- I'd love to host your content if it addresses the aims above - there will be some editorial oversight from myself and others, but you'll be in the loop on that, throughout.
