32. People say that vaccines cause sterility. What can you tell us about such things?
- There is nothing in vaccines that prevents future pregnancy.
- I’m sure that many women in your community who were immunised as children or while pregnant later got pregnant and had babies.
- And of course, many men who were immunised as boys later became fathers.
- Immunisation is a safe and effective way to reduce deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases and has been in use worldwide for many years.
33. How do I know that immunisation does not cause HIV/AIDS?
- Sharing needles with someone who has HIV can possibly spread HIV, but we do not re-use needles for immunisation or any injections.
- [If non-reusable syringes are used, show the caregiver how they work.]
- Unfortunately, pregnant women with HIV can pass the virus to their babies. This is not related to immunisation and can happen whether or not the mother or child is immunised since there is not yet an AIDS vaccine.
34. I don’t know where the vaccines come from, how do I know they are safe?
- Vaccines are among the safest health products in the world.
- They are extensively tested for safety before being accepted into immunisation programs and are made in specialised manufacturing plants all over the world.
- They generally are made from killed or weakened pieces of the germs that cause the diseases.
- Every vaccine is tested and approved by the World Health Organization before it reaches any country.
35. Why should I trust what you tell me about vaccines?
- I regret that you might not trust me, but please know that the recommendations I am making are made all over the world. Some countries are lucky to give even more vaccines to their children.
- I would like you to trust me, because I have your child’s best interests at heart, but if you would like to speak with another health care professional, I will try to arrange it.
- I make sure my own children have all recommended vaccinations, so clearly I am very confident in vaccinations.
36. If I still have concerns about having my child vaccinated, where can I learn more?
- I can see if a doctor is available to speak with you, or you can make an appointment to speak to one later.
- Here are some links to information on vaccine safety:
- WHO http://www.who.int/vaccine_safety/en/
- CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/index.html
- Immunization Action Coalition http://immunize.org
- Other credible web sites, especially in the national language(s), including the MOH
- Note: if your national immunisation program has any well-done publications that provide solid information on immunisation, feel free to share these.