The media fuels vaccination myths – by trying to correct them
Studies show that the more familiar we become with false information, the more likely we are to later remember it as fact.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Vaccines
Displaying 41 - 60 of 97 articles
Intergenerational prosperity depends on supporting research
The government believes innovation will be crucial to our future productivity, yet it is threatening cuts to research infrastructure that is instrumental to promoting innovation and new technologies.
When parents hesitate about vaccines, what should health-care providers say?
Research shows that what’s most effective is when health-care providers tailor the conversation to address parents’ particular concerns.
It’s time to fix our outdated guidelines for human vaccine trials
Prior to the 1970s, almost all Phase I and II drug trials were conducted on prisoners. Our standards have gotten better since then, but still need revision.
Achieving community immunity against flu, one school at a time
Kids are flu super spreaders, which is why locating vaccination programs in schools can protect whole communities.
How vaccines change the way we think about disease
Before the vaccine, we thought measles was a 'mild' illness. This is because vaccines drive down the number of people getting the disease while increasing our awareness of the risks.
What do the bacteria living in your gut have to do with your immune system?
Your intestines are home to many different kinds of bacteria (and some non-bacterial organisms as well). Together they’re called the “gut microbiome.” They come from the food you eat – and whatever else…
Why Mississippi hasn’t had measles in over two decades
As of January 30, 102 people in 14 states were reported to have measles, and most of these cases are tied to the outbreak that began at Disneyland in December. Public health officials are citing an increase…
Herd immunity and measles: why we should aim for 100% vaccination coverage
The measles outbreak traced back to Disneyland has spread to eight states, with as many as 95 cases reported by January 28. Media outlets are highlighting the rise of anti-vaccination sentiments. Scientists…
Ebola vaccines were always in the pipeline – now we’re starting to see the results
When people look back on 2014, it may be best remembered as the year of Ebola. Two previous assumptions – that the virus was confined to remote regions of central Africa, and that the notorious virulence…
High hopes rest on 800 vials of experimental Ebola vaccine shipped from Canada
The world has been warned that the current Ebola epidemic may not end without the use of a vaccine – and no licensed vaccines exist yet. That may soon change, because scientists are making swift progress…
Bat’s immunity may hold key to preventing future Ebola outbreaks
Bats are the natural host species for Ebola and a variety of viruses, many of which can be fatal when transmitted to humans. More than 100 viruses have been identified in bats and this number is rising…
Rabies – a global killer that dog jabs can eliminate
Chacha, a farmer and businessman from northern Tanzania, returned home from market one afternoon to find that his family’s newly adopted puppy had bitten five of his children. The puppy had been playful…
Epidemic ethics: four lessons from the current Ebola outbreak
The extent of the current Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa has belatedly focused the attention of non-governmental organisations, local and Western governments, and international media. What we haven’t…
How HIV co-opts gut bacteria to pose as a familiar infection
One of the most effective methods used by HIV to evade control is to hide from the immune system. We’re getting to know much more about how the virus does this and research has revealed how normal bacteria…
We need to fast-track clinical trials of new drugs to treat Ebola in Africa
The treatment of the two Americans with an experimental drug after catching Ebola in West Africa has raised all sorts of ethical implications that will be addressed by a meeting of experts convened by…
Research may be beating HIV, but vaccine remains a way off
Three decades since the onset of the infection in a global population, HIV care and treatment is looking very different. Given the difficulties involved, it is remarkable that having developed good treatments…
Deadly airborne flu virus created in lab – not as bad as it sounds
Influenza viruses that exist in nature and affect wild birds shuffle their genes about all the time, creating new viruses with different genetic combinations. In this way a virus was created that in 1918…
Ten-year research reveals new leads for anthrax vaccine
Anthrax occupies a special role as a feared and potentially lethal disease, but the culmination of a ten-year research project has identified a section of its toxin that could produce an effective new…
Cancer vaccine a step closer as natural killer cells are activated
Vaccines work. Their widespread use has saved millions of lives. With an ageing population that is increasingly becoming a victim to cancer, a vaccine to treat it would do wonders. In a study published…
Top contributors
-
Honorary Research Fellow, Macquarie University
-
Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide
-
Senior Lecturer, School of Computing and Information Systems, and Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne
-
Honorary Fellow at Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Melbourne
-
Professor of Virology, Imperial College London
-
Post-doctoral Research Assistant, University of Glasgow
-
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Oxford
-
Professor, Kirby Institute, UNSW
-
Laureate Professor, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
-
Professor of Public Ethics, Centre For Applied Philosophy & Public Ethics (CAPPE), Charles Sturt University
-
Clinical Professor in Medicine and Infectious Diseases, University of Sydney
-
ARC Future Fellow, Australian National University
-
Professor of Bioethics & Medicine, Centre for Values and Ethics and the Law in Medicine, University of Sydney
-
Professor (Adjunct) in Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, Australian National University
-
Senior Research Scientist & Head of Antiviral Sensitivity Analysis, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza
Most read on The Conversation
Would impeaching Trump restore the rule of law? Lessons from Latin America
Don’t hate your gut: It may help you lose weight, fight depression and lower blood pressure
Do poor people eat more junk food than wealthier Americans?
Inside the minds of Trump’s ‘true believers’
How do the chemicals in sunscreen protect our skin from damage?
What an artificial intelligence researcher fears about AI
American slavery: Separating fact from myth
Why can’t we fix our own electronic devices?
Why some are applauding Donald Trump Jr’s ‘win at all costs’ attitude