The Herd Immunity Fallacy
During the pandemic and in the wake of recent measles outbreaks, many have pointed to the concept of “herd immunity” as a key reason to get vaccinated. This cartoon highlights how herd immunity is sometimes oversimplified or misapplied in discussions about vaccination. What Is Herd Immunity? When you think of a herd, you probably think […]
Public Confidence in Measles Vaccine Falls in U.S.
Public confidence in the safety of measles vaccines has declined in the United States, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The survey found that 76 percent of people in the U.S. consider the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine safe for children. That figure was 84 percent in a similar Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in May […]
Danish Researcher Whose Studies Were Used to Deny Vaccine-Autism Link Pleads Guilty
Poul Thorsen, a Danish researcher whose research was used to counter claims that vaccines cause autism, pled guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges on Sept. 1, 2026 in a federal court in Atlanta.1 Thorsen, 65, traveled to the United States as a visiting scientist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention […]
U.K. Health Officials Call for Banning Schoolchildren Without Proof of MMR Vaccination
Health officials in London, England are calling for children who have not received MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) shots to be banned from attending schools in the United Kingdom as measles cases continue to rise. Emma Best, chairwoman of the London Assembly Health Committee, said students who can’t show proof they have gotten the MMR vaccine […]
What’s Really Going On in South Carolina’s Measles Outbreak?
As of early February 2026, South Carolina remains the center of the largest measles outbreak in the U.S. in over 30 years. With 920 confirmed cases and over 90% reportedly occurring in “unvaccinated” individuals, headlines suggest a crisis of vaccine refusal. But beneath the headlines lies a more complex picture—one shaped by data classification, eligibility […]
New Jersey Bill Requires Automatic Enrollment in State Electronic Vaccine Tracking Registry
Lawmakers in New Jersey have approved legislation that would require enrollment in the state’s electronic vaccine tracking registry, unless citizens actively opt out in writing. The bill for an “opt-out” vaccine tracking system, rather than operating an “opt-in” system, comes in response to decreased vaccination rates in recent years and health officials maintain it will […]