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Vaccines in the News: Fact vs. Fiction

Posted on April 24, 2026

Close Up Of Blue Circular HIV Virus With Green Strands And Yellow Dots

Evidenced-based guidance to help you separate vaccine facts from fiction.


The Claim: A single dose of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine provides the same protection as two doses.

The Facts: HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. According to data from 2018 to 2022, an estimated 49,908 new cases of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers were reported in the United States each year, including 27,081 among females and 22,827 among males. Introduced in 2006, the HPV vaccine has reduced cervical cancer by 90% in women. While evidence shows efficacy and immunogenicity of a single dose of HPV against high strains of HPV related cancers, these studies focused on HPV protection in women. There is no data to support single-dose efficacy for males or sites other than the cervix such as the throat, anus, and genitals. More than 4 in 10 of these cancers occur in men. HPV affects all genders. A 2 or 3 doses HPV vaccine is a critical prevention tool against HPV infection and cancer prevention for all individuals.

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The Claim: Multiple vaccines given at the same time can overwhelm a child’s immune system.
 
The Facts: Babies receive multiple vaccinations in the first two years of life. It can be easy to wonder, is this good for my baby? Infants are exposed to trillions of bacteria from the moment they leave the birth canal. This is when a child begins to develop an active immune response to their environment. Our immune systems fight potential pathogens every single day.

As vaccine research has advanced, it has allowed children to be vaccinated against more diseases with fewer immunologic components (what elicits an immune response in the body). The number of immunologic components found in vaccines are far less than what are found in everyday bacteria and viruses. A child’s immune system was built to handle multiple antigens at the same time. Vaccines teach the child’s immune system to fight against disease when exposed in the future. Children receive the right vaccines at the right time they are needed for protection.

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The Claim: The dose of Hepatitis B given at birth is not necessary for infants born to mothers who test negative for Hepatitis B virus


The Facts: Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver. It is spread through contact with blood or other bodily fluids from an infected person. This includes transmission from mother-to-baby during childbirth, contact with open cuts or sores, or even, dried blood. Most adults recover from acute Hepatitis B infection with treatment, however, infants and young children are vulnerable to the disease.


About 90% of infants infected at birth develop chronic hepatitis B and 30% of children between ages 1–5. Chronic Hepatitis B infection can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis and increased risk of liver cancer or failure, with about 25% of those chronically infected suffering premature death due to liver complications (AAP). The Hepatitis B birth dose is recommended because it provides the infant with immediate protection from mother-to-child transmission. Even if the mother tests negative for Hepatitis B virus (which is a routine test during pregnancy), an infant or child can be exposed in other ways such as household contacts/caregiver or a medical procedure.

Below are some identifiable gaps in screening for HBV:

  • About 14% of pregnant women in the United States are never tested for Hepatitis B.
  • About 2% of pregnant women receive no prenatal care at all. Among those who test positive during pregnancy, only a third receive recommended follow-up.
  • National Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program identifies fewer than half of infants are born to infected mothers each year.
    The birth dose addresses all of these gaps. It does not require perfect screening, perfect records, or perfect follow-up. All newborns are protected (CIDRAP).

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The Claim: It’s better to get the disease and have natural immunity than to get immunity through vaccines.


The Facts: Vaccines stimulate the immune system the same way natural infection does. Natural infection can cause serious and life-threatening complications, whereas vaccination helps create antibodies against the disease without getting sick. Vaccines help prevent the spread of disease and they work best when everyone in the community is vaccinated. This is called herd immunity. Herd immunity protects the most vulnerable in our population, such as infants, the elderly, and those undergoing cancer treatment, from getting sick.

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The Claim: You can get the flu from the flu shot.


The Facts: The influenza vaccine is made from an inactivated virus and cannot transmit infection to a person who receives a flu vaccine. Side effects such as headache, chills, and low-grade fever after receiving a vaccine are common and normal. It takes approximately 14 days to develop immunity from the influenza vaccine. The influenza vaccine is not 100% effective, and you may still be able to get the influenza infection after receiving the vaccine. The vaccine is highly effective in minimizing symptoms and hospitalization.
 
The Claim: We don’t need to vaccinate because we no longer have Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs) circulating.


The Facts: Thanks to vaccination, many diseases (Polio, Measles) have been eliminated or vastly reduced. Because diseases can still be circulating in many parts of the world vaccination is crucial to preventing diseases from being imported into communities. When a large portion of a community is vaccinated, this reduces the chance of an outbreak. If we no longer vaccinate from VPDs, community immunity will decline and these diseases will start to reappear.

Categories: Vaccines