Based on what I write, you'd think I was all about vaccines and thoroughly mocking the ignorance of the antivaccination world. And, apparently, I'm paid to do that. Sadly, I do not have a new BMW M5 in my driveway. I'd rather write about evolution, but there's a direct correlation between not vaccinating and harm to children from vaccine preventable diseases, so it seems more important to me than arguing about the stupidity of creationism.
I tend to be the cranky one on the interwebs with respect to vaccines. I'm the mean, angry uncle who turns on the sprinklers when the antivaccine parents walk their dogs in front of my house. Extra benefit–their dogs don't poop on my lawn. See, I'm the curmudgeonly neighbor of the pro-science/pro-vaccine world.
I realize my tone, filled with sarcasm and mockery, may blur my message, which is always based on real science, anti-cherry picking, and appropriately weighing evidence from experts vs. invented data from non-experts. But there are websites, which are important to my own personal mission of understanding vaccines and infectious diseases, that provide the same high value information but without the snark. I know, some of you like snark, as do I.
Here are some of the best websites on the internet that engage in the debate (there's no debate, vaccination is safe and effective, as shown by a couple of mountains worth of evidence) about vaccines. But are on a different planet of niceness compared to me, though still use solid science as evidence of claims.
Voices for Vaccines. This blog (with lots of supporting information) tells personal stories through the voices of those who vaccinate. You cannot helped but be touched by the stories. VacLiars (see, I cannot resist) hates Voices for Vaccines, so there's that. But it's a good place if you're looking for a calm voice in the screaming about vaccines. One of the managers of this website, Karen Ernst, has written a very popular post here. And she was nice. One of the scientific advisory board members (all of whom have impressive credentials in pediatrics and/or infectious diseases) is Paul Offit, who invented a vaccine that saves hundreds of thousands of lives every year. I don't have to say anything more.
Shot of Prevention. One of the older websites that is pro-vaccine (by old, I mean 4 or 5 years), Shot of Prevention focuses on practical parenting issues with regards to vaccinating and diseases. What I love about Shot of Prevention is that its writers come from all walks of life, and really gives the reader a broad perspective on immunization.
Red Wine and Apple Sauce. This website has a different appeal, but it's an outstanding resource for a thoughtful analysis of immunizations. Tara Haelle, who is a science journalist and writes nearly all of the articles, discusses more than just vaccines, but numerous current topics that are important to parents. She writes long detailed articles, filled with links that support her points, and she should be on anyone's list for getting information about vaccines.
The Value of Vaccination–A Conversation. A relatively new entrant into the conversation about vaccines, Value of Vaccination focuses in a different way–the stories are more personal, with the perspective almost exclusively from the viewpoint of a parent or individual. It features conversations that show us what the value of vaccination is and how it makes our lives better.
PKIDs Online. PKIDs, officially Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases, probably would not describe themselves as a "pro-vaccine" website, but they really are pro-vaccine. They tell the personal stories of parents of children who have chronic infectious diseases, most of which are vaccine preventable.
Vaccine Education Center. Run by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (known by almost everyone as CHOP), it is one of the top websites for information about vaccines. Yes, Paul Offit is involved again. Well, when you're one of the leading experts in immunization of children, and you're on the faculty of CHOP, that's what happens.
Vaccine News Daily. This website, more or less, aggregates news articles about vaccines, while giving a brief, but useful, summary of the information. It's a good way to keep up with what's going on in the vaccine world.
I Speak of Dreams. Although not necessarily about vaccines, I Speak of Dreams is an important resource in myths (and debunking of said myths) about autism. And because vaccines and autism has been a manufactured issue since the late 1990's, anyone who discusses myths about autism has to spend an inordinate amount of time debunking the myths of vaccines and autism. If I might remind everyone,there is no correlation between vaccines and autism.
All of these websites have non-cranky writers. Well mostly. And most of them are much more patient with comments than I am, because I have no patience when it's clear that a commenter doesn't get what constitutes evidence and what doesn't.