Educational Materials About Vaccines for Parents and Others

The Vaccine Education Center provides informational tear sheets, VHS tapes, booklets and DVDs in both English and Spanish.

NEW! "Shingles: What You Should Know"
The CDC now recommends a shingles vaccine for all adults 60 and older, including those who have had shingles. These tear sheets answer questions such as: "What is shingles?," "How common is shingles?," "Is shingles dangerous?," "Is shingles contagious?," "Is the shingles vaccine safe?"

Download the PDF in English
Download the PDF en Español

NEW! "Tdap: What You Should Know"
These tear sheets answer questions about the Tdap vaccine - for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis - including, "Why is Tdap necessary for teenagers and adults?," "Is pertussis more serious in babies?," "Is the Tdap vaccine safe?," "My teenager already got a vaccine called Td. Does he still need the Tdap vaccine?"

Download the PDF in English
Download the PDF en Español

NEW! "Human Papillomavirus: What You Should Know"
These tear sheets answer questions about human papillomavirus (HPV), a cause of cervical cancer, including, "What is human papillomavirus?," "How common is HPV?," "Is HPV dangerous?," "Who should get the HPV vaccine," "Will the HPV vaccine ever be recommended for boys?"

Download the PDF in English
Download the PDF en Español

"The Facts About Childhood Vaccines”
These tear sheets answer common questions about vaccines, including “Are vaccines safe?,” “Are vaccines still necessary?,” “Do children get too many shots?,” and “Do vaccines cause autism?” The sheets also list several Web sites that provide current, reliable information about vaccines.

Download the PDF in English
Download the PDF en Español

"Thimerosal: What You Should Know"
These tear sheets discuss thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative in the influenza vaccine; different types of mercury; evidence that mercury doesn't cause autism; and what is known about the causes of autism.

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Download the PDF en Español

"Hepatitis A: What You Should Know"
These tear sheets answer questions about Hepatitis A, including: "What is hepatitis A?," Are infections caused by hepatitis A similar to those caused by hepatitis B?," "How do you catch hepatitis A virus?," "How is the hepatitis A vaccine made?," "Who should get the hepatitis A vaccine?"

Download the PDF in English
Download the PDF en Español

"Pandemic Flu: What You Should Know"
These tear sheets answer questions about pandemic flu, including: "What is a pandemic?," "How often do influenza pandemics occur?," "What is bird flu?," "What is the likelihood that bird flu will cause the next pandemic?," "What can I do to protect myself during a pandemic?"

Download the PDF in English
Download the PDF en Español

"Rotavirus: What You Should Know"
These tear sheets answer questions about rotavirus, including "What is rotavirus?," What is my child's risk of getting infected with rotavirus?," What is the harm of infection with rotavirus?," "Why do so many children in the developing world die of rotavirus?" "Is the rotavirus vaccine safe?," and "Who should get the rotavirus vaccine?"

Download the PDF in English
Download the PDF en Español

"Influenza: What You Should Know"
These tear sheets address questions about influenza and the influenza vaccine, including ”What is influenza?,” ”What are the symptoms of influenza?,” ”How is the influenza vaccine made?,” ”Is the influenza vaccine safe?” and ”Who should get the influenza vaccine?”

Download the PDF in English
Download the PDF en Español

"Meningococcus: What You Should Know”
These tear sheets address questions about meningococcus and the new meningococal vaccine, including “What is meningococcus?”, “What are the symptoms of meningococcus?,” “Does the meningococcal vaccine work?,” “Who should get the meningococcal vaccine?,” and “If someone in my child’s school gets meningococcal infection, what should I do?”

Download the PDF in English
Download the PDF en Español

"Vaccines: Separating Fact from Fear”
This 27-minute VHS tape addresses questions parents may have about vaccines and provides an extensive list of reliable Web sites. Questions addressed include “How can parents sort out good from bad information on the Internet?,” “Why are there so many more vaccines today?,” “Do children receive too many shots?,” “Are vaccines still necessary?,” and “Are vaccines safe?” The video also includes the stories of parents whose children suffered vaccine-preventable diseases.

Price: $5 per tape plus $5 shipping and handling charge per order
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“Vaccines and Your Baby”
This 29-minute VHS tape (and accompanying 42-page booklet) describes the 11 diseases prevented by vaccines, the science of vaccines, the concept of immunity, how vaccines work, and how they are made. Highlights include physicians discussing details of each disease and parents sharing their stories. The video also includes a computer-animated look at the science of vaccines. The booklet, with colorful photographs and illustrations, explains how vaccines work, describes the major vaccine-preventable diseases, answers common questions parents have about vaccines, and provides an immunization schedule and list of resources.

Price: $5 per tape plus $5 shipping and handling charge per order
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“Vaccines”
This DVD contains the VHS tapes shown above in both the English and Spanish versions: “Vaccines and Your Baby,” “Vaccines: Separating Fact from Fear,” “Las vacunas y su bebé” and “Las vacunas: Cómo separar los datos de los temores.”

Price: $5 per tape plus $5 shipping and handling charge per order
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