# Vaccine Hesitancy * **Definition:** Vaccine hesitancy refers to the reluctance or refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines. It is influenced by factors such as confidence in the vaccine's safety and efficacy, complacency about the risk of disease, and convenience of access to vaccination services. * **Taxonomy:** Healthcare Topics / Vaccine Hesitancy ## News * Selected news on the topic of **Vaccine Hesitancy**, for healthcare technology leaders * 2K news items are in the system for this topic * Posts have been filtered for tech and healthcare-related keywords | Date | Title | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | 5/28/2025 | [**Viewpoint: The antidote to tough times for academic medicine resides within us**](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-management-administration/viewpoint-the-antidote-to-tough-times-for-academic-medicine-resides-within-us/) | [[Beckers Hospital Review]] | | 4/7/2025 | [**School-age child dies in Texas measles outbreak; health chief Kennedy visits family**](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/kennedy-travel-texas-after-second-measles-related-death-axios-reports-2025-04-06/) | [[Reuters]] | | 4/5/2025 | [**Health professionals are combating vaccine hesitancy in Minnesota's Somali community**](https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/health-professionals-vaccine-hesitancy-somali-community/) | [[CBS News]] | | 4/4/2025 | [**New Poll Shows COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Survey Takers' Perspectives on Vaccinations**](https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/new-poll-shows-covid-19-pandemic-changed-survey-takers-perspectives-on-vaccinations) | [[Pharmacy Times]] | | 4/3/2025 | [**With measles on the rise, nurse practitioners can help address vaccine hesitancy, expert says**](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-measles-nurse-practitioners-vaccine-hesitancy.html) | [[MedicalXpress]] | | 4/1/2025 | [**As Measles Outbreak Spikes, NIH Drastically Cuts Funding On Vaccine Hesitancy - Forbes**](https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuacohen/2025/04/01/as-measles-outbreak-spikes-nih-drastically-cuts-funding-on-vaccine-hesitancy/) | [[Forbes]] | | 3/14/2025 | [**Opinion: Vaccine hesitancy is about much more than misinformation**](https://www.statnews.com/2025/03/14/vaccine-hesitancy-misinformation-research-study-reasons-trust/?utm_campaign=rss) | [[STAT]] | | 3/13/2025 | [**COVID-19 Vaccine Politicization Fueled Hesitancy, Impacted Vulnerable Groups**](https://www.ajmc.com/view/covid-19-vaccine-politicization-fueled-hesitancy-impacted-vulnerable-groups) | [[AJMC]] | | 3/13/2025 | [**National Institutes of Health Limits Grants for Vaccine Hesitancy Studies, Raising Questions About Future of Research**](https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/national-institutes-of-health-limits-grants-for-vaccine-hesitancy-studies-raising-questions-about-future-of-research) | [[Pharmacy Times]] | | 3/13/2025 | [**February/March 2025 Issue of Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control**](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/uncategorized/february-march-2025-issue-of-beckers-clinical-leadership-infection-control.html?utm_campaign=bhr&utm_source=website&utm_content=latestarticles) | [[Beckers Hospital Review]] | | 3/13/2025 | [**February/March 2025 Issue of Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control**](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/uncategorized/february-march-2025-issue-of-beckers-clinical-leadership-infection-control.html) | [[Beckers Hospital Review]] | | 3/13/2025 | [**Vaccine hesitancy is about much more than misinformation**](https://www.statnews.com/2025/03/14/vaccine-hesitancy-misinformation-research-study-reasons-trust/) | [[STAT]] | | 3/13/2025 | [**February/March 2025 Issue of Becker's Clinical Leadership n Control**](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/uncategorized/february-march-2025-issue-of-beckers-clinical-leadership-infection-control/) | [[Beckers Hospital Review]] | | 3/11/2025 | [**NIH cuts funding for studies on vaccine hesitancy and acceptance**](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-03-nih-funding-vaccine-hesitancy.html) | [[MedicalXpress]] | | 3/10/2025 | [**NIH to terminate or limit grants related to vaccine hesitancy and uptake**](https://www.yahoo.com/news/nih-terminate-limit-grants-related-233947359.html) | [[Yahoo]] | | 3/7/2025 | [**Experts Raise Alarm Over Vaccine Hesitancy and Misinformation as the Measles Outbreak Spreads**](https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/experts-raise-alarm-over-vaccine-hesitancy-and-misinformation-as-the-measles-outbreak-spreads) | [[Pharmacy Times]] | | 1/24/2025 | [**COVID vaccine hesitancy reducing childhood vaccinations, study shows**](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-covid-vaccine-hesitancy-childhood-vaccinations.html) | [[MedicalXpress]] | | 1/22/2025 | [**Trust-Building and Tailored Interventions Essential to Improving COVID-19 Vaccine Rates, Confidence Among Black Women**](https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/trust-building-and-tailored-interventions-essential-to-improving-covid-19-vaccine-rates-confidence-among-black-women) | [[Pharmacy Times]] | | 1/17/2025 | [**Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF) Highlights Alarming Vaccine Hesitancy and Access Challenges in Latest Poll**](http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250117288558/en/Global-Healthy-Living-Foundation-GHLF-Highlights-Alarming-Vaccine-Hesitancy-and-Access-Challenges-in-Latest-Poll/?feedref=JjAwJuNHiystnCoBq_hl-RLXHJgazfQJNuOVHefdHP-D8R-QU5o2AvY8bhI9uvWSD8DYIYv4TIC1g1u0AKcacnnViVjtb72bOP4-4nHK5ieT3WxPE8m_kWI77F87CseT) | [[Business Wire]] | | 1/17/2025 | [**Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF) Highlights Alarming Vaccine Hesitancy ... - Morningstar**](https://www.morningstar.com/news/business-wire/20250117288558/global-healthy-living-foundation-ghlf-highlights-alarming-vaccine-hesitancy-and-access-challenges-in-latest-poll) | [[Morningstar]] | | 1/17/2025 | [**Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF) Highlights Alarming Vaccine Hesitancy ... - Yahoo Finance**](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/global-healthy-living-foundation-ghlf-160000268.html) | [[Yahoo Finance]] | | 1/14/2025 | [**Interviews identify factors tied to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in black women**](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-factors-covid-vaccine-hesitancy-black.html) | [[MedicalXpress]] | | 10/22/2024 | [**Vaccine Hesitancy: COVID-19 to Influenza**](https://www.ajmc.com/view/vaccine-hesitancy-covid-19-to-influenza) | [[AJMC]] | | 8/14/2024 | [**From Hesitation to Vaccination: Tackling Vaccine Hesitancy**](https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/from-hesitation-to-vaccination-tackling-vaccine-hesitancy) | [[Pharmacy Times]] | | 8/6/2024 | [**New study reveals how fear and vaccine hesitancy could fuel conspiracy beliefs**](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-08-reveals-vaccine-hesitancy-fuel-conspiracy.html) | [[MedicalXpress]] | ## Topic Overview (Some LLM-derived content — please confirm with above primary sources) ### Key Players - **World Health Organization (WHO)**: Identifies vaccine hesitancy as a global health threat impacting vaccination rates. - **Dr. Jonathan Kantor**: A physician who developed a 13-question survey to assess vaccine hesitancy among participants in the U.S. and U.K. - **Key Player**: Patients, Definition: Individuals receiving healthcare services who may exhibit vaccine hesitancy due to misinformation or lack of understanding. - **Michigan University**: Conducted a study assessing health concerns among older adults, including vaccine hesitancy. - **Pharmaceutical Companies**: Organizations involved in the development and distribution of vaccines, such as Moderna, which has faced stock declines due to vaccine hesitancy and regulatory concerns. - **Dr. Kimberly Fisher**: Principal investigator of a study highlighting challenges faced by primary care physicians in addressing vaccine hesitancy. - **Dr. Daniel Jolley**: Researcher who studied the relationship between fear, vaccine hesitancy, and conspiracy beliefs. - **Carrie Koenigsfeld, PharmD**: A pharmacist focusing on addressing RSV vaccine hesitancy among older adults. - **Pharmacists**: Healthcare professionals positioned to alleviate patient fears and improve vaccine acceptance through targeted communication strategies. - **Olivia Kinney**: National pharmacy practice manager at Kroger, emphasizes the role of pharmacists in addressing vaccine hesitancy. - **Robert F. Kennedy Jr.**: A prominent vaccine skeptic nominated as Secretary of Health and Human Services, raising concerns about public health policies. - **GeoVax Labs, Inc.**: A company developing vaccines with a focus on safety and public trust, advocating for transparency in vaccine development. - **CUNY SPH**: City University of New York School of Public Health, involved in research on public trust in vaccine science. - **ISGlobal**: Barcelona Institute for Global Health, collaborated on studies examining vaccine acceptance. - **Dr. Linda Yancey**: A healthcare professional emphasizing the natural role of vaccines in stimulating the body's immunity. - **Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF)**: An organization focused on improving healthcare access and addressing vaccine hesitancy, particularly among individuals with chronic conditions. ### Partnerships and Collaborations - **NIH and Research Institutions**: NIH's funding cuts impact various research projects aimed at understanding and combating vaccine hesitancy. - **Faith Leaders and Community Engagement**: Mobilized to combat vaccine hesitancy in the Black community through education campaigns. - **Pharmacists and Pharmacies**: Positioned as trusted community resources to enhance vaccination rates and combat hesitancy. - **GHLF and Community Leaders**: GHLF emphasizes the importance of engaging trusted community leaders to combat vaccine hesitancy and improve public health communication. - **Curevo Vaccine**: Closed a $110 million Series B funding round to advance the development of its shingles vaccine, aiming to address vaccine hesitancy. - **CUNY SPH and ISGlobal**: Collaborated on research examining public trust in COVID-19 vaccine science. - **Healthcare Technology Companies and Public Health Agencies**: Collaborations aimed at developing digital tools and platforms to enhance communication and education about vaccines. - **Health LEAP Program**: A community health initiative in Maryland aimed at addressing COVID-19 vaccination disparities through education and outreach. - **Health Systems**: Collaborating to offer free community flu shot clinics and vaccinating staff to improve immunization rates. - **Micron Biomedical and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation**: Micron received funding to support the commercialization of its needle-free vaccine technology, aiming to enhance vaccine accessibility. - **IQVIA Institute and Global Healthy Living Foundation**: Working to enhance understanding of health policies and their impact on patient outcomes. - **L.A. Care Health Plan and Children's Hospital Los Angeles**: Collaborated to release the first-ever Los Angeles County State of Children's Health report, addressing vaccine misinformation and health disparities. ### Innovations, Trends, and Initiatives - **CDC Study on Vaccine Safety**: Launching a study to investigate public beliefs linking vaccines to autism, amidst rising vaccine hesitancy. - **Vaccine Safety Initiatives**: Calls for establishing resource repositories for vaccine safety information and community-based efforts to rebuild trust in vaccinations. - **On-Site Vaccination**: Offering vaccines at clinics to improve acceptance among hesitant patients. - **Motivational Interviewing Techniques**: Used by physicians to enhance communication and address vaccine hesitancy. - **Community Engagement Strategies**: Efforts to engage communities and provide transparent information are critical in addressing vaccine hesitancy, especially in marginalized populations. - **Digital Reminders and Personalized Outreach**: Strategies to increase vaccination rates by prompting discussions about vaccines. - **Social Media Monitoring**: Research highlighting the role of social media in shaping perceptions and decisions about vaccinations. - **Breakthrough Study**: Surveyed over 13,000 individuals across 13 countries regarding perceptions of vaccine technologies, highlighting shifting attitudes towards genomic techniques. - **Pharmacist Vaccination Authority Report**: Highlights the impact of restrictive policies on vaccination rates, advocating for expanded authority. - **Community Engagement Programs**: Initiatives designed to engage communities in discussions about vaccines, addressing concerns and misinformation directly. - **Self-Amplifying mRNA Vaccine**: Japan's introduction of a new vaccine technology amidst public misinformation challenges. - **Presumptive Style of Recommendation**: A communication strategy used by healthcare providers to frame vaccination as the default option. - **Targeted Communication Strategies**: Pharmacists using evidence-based reassurances to address patient concerns and promote vaccination. - **Social Listening Analysis**: Utilizing social media platforms to gauge public sentiment and misinformation regarding vaccines. - **Pre-Visit Questionnaires**: Administered before checkups to identify and address patient concerns regarding vaccinations. - **Needle-Free Vaccine Technology**: Micron Biomedical's innovative approach aims to eliminate refrigeration needs and allow non-clinicians to administer vaccines, addressing barriers in low- and middle-income countries. - **Educational Toolkit for Pharmacists**: Developed to enhance communication and vaccination uptake among patients. - **Informed Immunity Podcast**: GHLF launched a podcast series to provide reliable vaccine information and combat misinformation, particularly among chronic disease patients. - **Digital Health Tools**: Technologies such as mobile apps and telehealth platforms that facilitate patient-provider communication and provide reliable vaccine information. ### Challenges and Concerns - **Vaccine Hesitancy**: Surging in the U.S. post-COVID-19, leading to declining vaccination rates and increased public skepticism, particularly among certain political groups. - **Vaccine Misinformation**: Growing trend of misinformation about vaccine safety contributing to increased vaccine hesitancy. - **Declining Vaccination Rates**: The rise in vaccine hesitancy has led to declining vaccination rates, posing risks of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. - **Misinformation**: A significant factor contributing to vaccine hesitancy, particularly regarding safety and efficacy. - **Access to Information**: Barriers that prevent patients from receiving accurate and timely information about vaccines, leading to hesitancy. - **Distrust in Medical Institutions**: A major barrier to vaccination, especially among marginalized communities. - **Misinformation and Distrust**: Widespread misinformation about vaccines, particularly COVID-19 vaccines, has led to increased hesitancy, especially among specific demographics like Black women. - **Emotional Factors**: Fear and conspiracy beliefs are significant barriers to vaccine acceptance. - **Socioeconomic Factors**: Communities with higher poverty rates and lower educational attainment exhibit greater vaccine hesitancy, reflecting systemic neglect. - **Funding Cuts**: NIH plans to cancel or reduce funding for grants researching vaccine hesitancy, raising concerns about the future of such studies. - **Political Influence**: Concerns regarding the appointment of vaccine skeptics to health positions and its potential impact on public health policy. - **Long COVID and Vaccine Uptake**: Concerns about long COVID highlight the need for effective communication on vaccine benefits. - **Reimbursement Issues**: Pharmacists remain the only healthcare providers not fully reimbursed for clinical services beyond medication dispensing, impacting their ability to address vaccine hesitancy. - **Cognitive Inflexibility**: Research indicating that individuals with rigid thinking styles may be less responsive to corrective information about vaccines. - **Distrust in Health Experts**: Distrust stemming from perceived conflicts among health experts and changing recommendations reduces public confidence. - **Public Trust Erosion**: Trust in public health has been eroded due to backlash against government responses to COVID-19.