MSU researchers on vaccine hesitancy and respectfully educating citizens

Published April 26, 2024 at 4:14 PM EDT

Studio shot of a series of seven vials standing in a row filled with liquid medication. Empty syringe laying next to the vials is ready for injection and could represent concepts like vaccination, flu shot, medication. Image is blue tinted.

It takes only one case of measles or other vaccine-preventable diseases for an outbreak to begin.

But vaccines can prevent or lessen the severity of conditions for everyone, according to Peter Gulick, professor of Osteopathic Medical Specialties at the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and Sean Valles, professor and director of the MSU College of Human Medicine’s Center for Bioethics and Social Justice.

Gulick and Valles discuss the disinformation that leads to vaccine hesitancy and share respectful ways to educate citizens on the health benefits of vaccines.

Conversation Highlights:

(0:50) – Gulick on his time at MSU and research interests.

Sean Valles, left, and Peter Gulick in the MSU Audio Studios

(2:45) – Valles on his time at MSU, research interests and the Center’s mission.

(5:13) – Some history of vaccines and their acceptance. What about anti-biotics? How are vaccines like fighting computer viruses?

(9:30) – To what do you attribute the rise in vaccine hesitancy? “It’s really more of a spectrum of hesitancy.”

(14:21) – How do we break through some of the misinformation and get more people to see the health benefits of vaccines? Simple, direct and respectful education is key.

(17:19) – What about herd immunity? “It’s not about what you have to do, but what is right to do.”

(21:01) – Sean’s takeaways. “Invest in prevention.”

(22:01) – “Respect each patient you deal with.”

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