AMA Ethics Journal Issue on Vaccines

The January 2012 issue of Virtual Mentor, the monthly ethics journal published by the American Medical Association, is titled "Vaccines and Ethics." The 11 papers in the issue examine a variety of topics related to this area, including HPV vaccination, adult vaccination, parental consent, and vaccine research, among other topics.

Among the papers is "New Media, Old Messages: Themes in the History of Vaccine Hesitancy and Refusal," by Jason L. Schwartz of the University of Pennsylvania, Editor of VaccineEthics.org. The paper discusses the long history of public opposition to vaccination and possible lessons from these experiences for contemporary vaccination programs and policy.