For Specific Groups of People:

Understanding Vaccines and Vaccine Safety
Resources for Vaccine Conversations

The fact sheets below provide information about vaccine testing, safety, monitoring, and the process for establishing the U.S. immunization schedule.

Understanding Vaccines & Vaccine Safety SERIES

These materials are intended to help health care professionals keep up to date on vaccine topics. The sheets may also be distributed to parents wanting in-depth information on these topics after talking to their child’s doctor. Most sheets include references and published scientific studies.

Printed size: 8-1/2"x 11", 2 pages
Commercial printer files available upon request

• Understanding MMR Vaccine Safety Updated MAR 2012; Posted AUG 2012
  Addresses common questions about the MMR vaccine, including those related to side effects and effectiveness.
  • Color for office printing (487 KB)
  • Black & white for office printing (485 KB)
    
• Understanding How Vaccines Work Reviewed MAR 2012; Posted AUG 2012
  Explains how the immune system responds to vaccines to build immunity.
  • Color for office printing* (415 KB)
  • Black & white for office printing (425 KB)
• Understanding the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) Updated MAR 2012; Posted AUG 2012
  Describes one of the components of the United States’ comprehensive vaccine safety monitoring system.
  • Color for office printing* (296 KB)
  • Black & white for office printing (295 KB)
• Ensuring the Safety of Vaccines in the United States
  Reviewed MAR 2012; Posted AUG 2012
  Outlines how vaccines are tested for safety before being licensed for use and how their safety is monitored after licensure.
  • Color for office printing* (432 KB)
  • Black & white for office printing (430 KB)
• Understanding Thimerosal, Mercury, and Vaccine Safety
  Reviewed MAR 2012; Posted AUG 2012
  Explains what thimerosal is, why it is used as a preservative in multi-dose vials of flu vaccine, and highlights conclusions from studies examining thimerosal safety in vaccines.
  • Color for office printing (540 KB)
  • Black & white for office printing (538 KB)
• The Childhood Immunization Schedule Reviewed MAR 2012; Posted AUG 2012
  Describes how the U.S. recommended immunization schedule is set.
  • Color for office printing* (286 KB)
  • Black & white for office printing (286 KB)
• The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)
  Updated MAR 2012; Posted AUG 2012
  Provides details about the group of experts who make U.S. immunization recommendations.
  • Color for office printing* (302 KB)
  • Black & white for office printing (296 KB)

After you use these materials, please let us know what you think about them and what resources you’d like to see added. Complete a brief, anonymous feedback form.

Also see

• Talking about Vaccination
• Diseases and the Vaccines that Prevent Them

These materials, collectively called Provider Resources for Vaccine Conversations with Parents, have been developed by CDC, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

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If you want to reproduce higher quality or large quantities of these pieces, consider using a local commercial printer. We can provide high-resolution, press-ready files. If you need a high-res file, indicate your printer’s specifications in an email request.

 

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