As a health care provider, you play a vital role in guiding families through critical health decisions. With so much conflicting vaccine information circulating, your role as a trusted source has never been more important.
To support you in these conversations, Health Quality BC brought together key partners in the vaccine space and formed the BC Childhood Vaccine Misinformation Coalition. Together they developed six key questions designed to help families confidently assess vaccine information.
These questions create a straightforward, reliable way to help new and expecting parents cut through the noise, address misinformation, and equip themselves with the knowledge they need to make well-informed decisions about their children’s health.
What We Know to Be True
At the heart of our work with vaccines are a few simple, reliable pieces of information supported by the consensus of experts:
According to the World Health Organization, vaccines save up to 5 million lives per year. They are one of the most effective tools to protect against preventable diseases, keeping children and families safe around the world.
In a survey conducted by the Clarity Foundation, 100% of BC pediatricians surveyed agreed that childhood vaccines are safe and effective, and that their benefits far outweigh any risks. This consensus reflects that science and experience clearly support the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.
Misinformation can leave families feeling uncertain. Equipping families to recognize scientific evidence from falsehoods is critical to building vaccine confidence.
It’s because of these key insights that we created this resource, to make it easier for you to guide families toward trustworthy, science-backed information.
Six Questions to Help Families Evaluate Vaccine Information
These six simple questions give parents and caregivers the tools they need to sort fact from fiction and make informed decisions about vaccines.
1. Where did the information come from?
Encourage families to look for information from well-known health organizations, government agencies, or scientific journals.
2. Do the claims seem reasonable?
If something seems over-the-top or meant to scare, it’s worth being careful about believing that information.
3. Is the information up to date?
As we learn more, medical advice changes over time, so it’s important that the information is recent and reflects the latest research.
4. Is this a trustworthy source of information?
Check the source’s background and record of sharing accurate information.
5. Is the information based on scientific research?
Good advice is backed by solid research and a consensus of experts.
6. Does the information seem to present an unbiased point of view?
Trustworthy sources focus on scientific evidence instead of trying to sway you in one direction.
When new and expecting parents know these questions and feel your support, they’ll be more confident making decisions about vaccines and their children’s health.
How a Poster Can Help
To make these questions simple to use and easy to share, we’ve created a poster that puts all these ideas and questions in one place.
Whether displayed in a waiting area, used as a conversation starter during appointments, or shared digitally with community leaders and schools, this poster can help parents and caregivers navigate vaccine information with greater clarity and confidence.
Ways to Use the Poster
Post the poster in waiting rooms, exam rooms, or other high-visibility areas where parents and caregivers spend time.
Refer to the six questions during appointments to guide families through the information they encounter.
Offer the poster to community leaders, colleagues and schools – either in print or online – so its benefits can reach beyond your immediate setting.
A Collaborative Effort
Health Quality BC brought together a group of organizations interested in helping parents make informed decisions about vaccinating their children. The BC Childhood Vaccine Misinformation Coalition includes representation from trustworthy sources of health information: Immunize BC, I Boost Immunity, the Clarity Foundation, Child Health BC, the BC Pediatrics Society, Doctors of BC, the BC Centre for Disease Control, BC Children’s Hospital, the Vaccine Evaluation Center, BC’s health authorities, academic institutions such as UBC, Simon Fraser and Royal Roads, and the Canadian Association of Science Centres.
This poster was created in partnership by Health Quality BC with support from the Coalition, reflecting our shared goal to equip families and combat misinformation.
By joining forces, we’re making sure families across BC have the tools and support they need to make well-informed health decisions.
Additionally, the Clarity Foundation has developed a patient handout to show the consensus among BC pediatricians that childhood vaccines are safe and effective. Social media posts are also available for clinicians, offices and patients to share – and share widely.
Why This Matters
Vaccines save lives, prevent disease, and protect whole communities. However, misinformation can keep families from feeling confident about their vaccine-related decisions. By sharing this poster and other resources, and by encouraging parents and caregivers to ask these six key questions, you’re doing more than providing information – you’re building trust and helping families feel equipped to make their own informed health decisions.
Resources for Sharing
Download and share these tools today and see how they can spark meaningful conversations.
Posters
Print and distribute these ready-to-use materials to share clear, evidence-based information about childhood vaccinations.
Social Media
Share these ready-to-use graphics and messages on your social media platforms.
