Pediatric infectious disease expert sheds light on vaccine myths

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccines have saved more the 732,000 lives in the past two decades and studies have repeatedly shown that they are the best way to protect our communities from some of the deadliest illnesses. Still, there is a lot of confusing information about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and it can be difficult to discern fact from fiction. “Anti-vaccine movements are as old as vaccines themselves. With the creation of the first smallpox vaccine in the 19th century came criticism, disbelief and fear of the unknown. Vaccine safety has come a long way since those early days and undergoes intense scrutiny and trials to ensure efficacy and safety before being approved,” said Nadia Qureshi, MD, pediatric infectious disease physician at Loyola University Health System and assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Qureshi sheds light...