title: Challenges in comparing the safety of different vaccination schedules.
abstract: As vaccine hesitancy has increased in the United States, various authors have begun proposing alternatives to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' recommended childhood immunization schedule. Because parents may believe the safety claims made by such authors, evaluations of the safety of alternative vaccination schedules are needed. However, comparing the safety of different vaccination schedules has numerous methodologic challenges. These challenges include defining vaccination history, defining safety, appropriately modeling interactions between vaccines, and appropriately handling age effects. Failure to properly address these challenges can result in biased results.
authors.affiliation: Group Health Research Institute. 1730 Minor Ave., Suite 1600. Seattle, WA 98101-1448, United States. jackson.ml@ghc.org
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D018448:Models, Immunological; D011336:Probability; D058028:Research Report; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014611:Vaccination / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D014612:Vaccines