Trust in Vaccines: Why It Matters | The Forum at HSPH by Harvard University published on 2013-04-18T20:13:17Z Long a cost-effective stalwart in the public health armament, vaccines have become a target for misinformation that has undermined immunization efforts in parts of the U.S., U.K. and elsewhere, contributing to dangerous and potentially lethal disease outbreaks of measles, polio and more. At the same time, in this "Decade of Vaccines," steps have been taken to boost vaccine access in areas of the world where people live with, and die unnecessarily from, infectious illnesses that could be controlled by immunization programs. This Forum event examined the importance of immunization, the safety of vaccines, and the consequences of vaccine hesitancy. This event was part of the Andelot Series on Current Science Controversies.