Good information practices – Vaccine Safety Net

The internet is a mine of useful information on various topics, but also contains websites of dubious quality. Although many quality websites offer science-based information about vaccine safety, other sites provide unbalanced and misleading information. This can lead to undue fears, particularly among parents and patients.

To assist readers in identifying websites providing information on vaccine safety that comply with good information practices, the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) recommended a list of criteria that sites providing information on vaccine safety should adhere to.⁴⁵ The recommended criteria fall into four categories:

• Essential criteria, i.e. with respect to credibility,
• Important criteria, i.e. with respect to content,
• Practical criteria, i.e. with respect to accessibility,
• Desired criteria, i.e. with respect to design.

WHO has reviewed a number of sites for adherence to the credibility and content criteria noted above. Vaccine websites not listed may not appear because:

• They have not been reviewed,
• They are currently under review,
• They have been reviewed and do not meet the credibility and content criteria,
• Commercial sites i.e. those supported by vaccine manufacturers are not listed as a matter of policy.

From March 2010, more than 30 websites successfully met the GACVS criteria and are listed on the WHO website. Listed sites are re-evaluated for their adherence to the credibility and content criteria every two years. Evaluation dates are included within each site description.⁴⁵