Googling or Garbling?

Abstract

Between 2010 and 2011 there were more than 1,500 cases of whooping cough in San Diego, a life-threatening childhood disease that can be effectively prevented by vaccination. Before the panic of that epidemic becomes just another page in San Diego's history book, perhaps it is a good moment to draw some lessons for our future. Beyond the obvious need for things like public health awareness, effective communication, and robust vaccination campaigns, our frightening memories may reveal an even more fundamental problem. The truth is that, historically, we do have a robust vaccination campaign in this country. But, as most of us know, in the last 10 years many have become skeptical of vaccines, concerned that they cause autism, or that they are simply a scam, designed by Big Pharma to increase sales.