Welcome to BrainStuff, a production of I Heart Radio.

Hey Brain Stuff, Lauren Bogobom here.

Misunderstandings about flu vaccines have existed for decades, leading to vaccine mistrust and lower than ideal

vaccination rates. Now that a coronavirus vaccine appears to be close, experts are concerned

that the lack of trust and understanding

about flu vaccines could translate into lower than optimal coronavirus vaccination

rates. Recent surveys suggest that many Americans would not get vaccinated for COVID-19.

A Pew Research Center study released in September reported that nearly half,

definitely or probably, would not.

The persistence of anti-vaccine sentiment, partly based on mistrust of vaccine ingredients,

is likely contributing to this hesitancy.

The lack of trust is especially upsetting to public health officials, doctors, and other scientists.

The issue is not just troubling, but also frustrating, because a major reason for vaccine reluctance sprang from a debunked, retracted,

an outright false article.

Even though the study that that article reported on was discredited a decade ago,

undoing the damage has been difficult.

The whole situation showed how easy it is to disseminate

incorrect information, particularly over the internet.

The authors of today's episode are drug information pharmacists,

and as such, they wanted to review the ingredients that have caused so much controversy,

and to remind you that this is a great time to get your flu vaccine.

As coronavirus cases soar, threatening not only lives but the ability of hospitals to care for them,

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