[Vaccine opponents and sceptics. History, background, arguments, interaction]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology of Science
• Medical History

Background:

• Historical vaccine skepticism predates modern anti-vaccination movements.
• Declining infectious disease incidence reduces public awareness of disease risks and amplifies concerns about rare vaccine side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the influence of the anti-vaccine movement on public immunisation acceptance in Germany.
• To explore strategies for managing vaccine hesitancy in contemporary societies.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on historical and contemporary vaccine skepticism.
• Analysis of the impact of modern communication networks on anti-vaccination sentiment.
• Examination of risk communication principles in public health policy.

Main Results:

• Despite its small size (3-5% of the population), the German anti-vaccine movement exerts substantial influence on immunisation acceptance.
• Modern societal structures facilitate the rapid spread of anti-vaccination ideas.
• Reduced awareness of vaccine-preventable diseases and overestimation of adverse event risks contribute to vaccine hesitancy.

Conclusions:

• Effective management of the anti-vaccine movement necessitates adapting immunisation policies.
• Risk communication strategies are crucial for addressing vaccine hesitancy and promoting public health.