COVID‐19 vaccines: the importance of transparency and fact‐based education

Cohen, Adam F.; Gerven, Joop van; Burgos, Juan García; Boer, Anthonius de; Foucher, Ron A. M.; Flore, H.; Teitelbaum, Z.; Eden, Willem van; Webb, David J.; Cremers, Serge

doi:10.1111/bcp.14581

Cited by 19 publications

(25 citation statements)

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“…The clear and transparent communication of COVID-19 vaccines’ risks and benefits has been suggested as an approach to increasing vaccine uptake among the general public [ 14 , 16 ], a means of maintaining public trust in science (e.g., [ 15 , 21 ]), and also as an ethical imperative. We investigated how communications about the efficacy and side effects of COVID-19 vaccines affect individuals’ vaccination intentions and related beliefs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many public health commentators and researchers have called for transparent communication of COVID-19 vaccine information, including the efficacy and side effects reported from clinical trials, to improve vaccine uptake [ 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Some, for example, Rzymski et al [ 16 ], think that such information may change individuals’ vaccine beliefs: “The general public must be given access to the pivotal information on the authorized vaccines, and that their approval is based on the evidenced benefits that outweigh the potential risks of vaccine administration” (p. 3).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of Information about COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness and Side Effects on Behavioural Intentions: Two Online Experiments

et al. 2021

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The success of mass COVID-19 vaccination campaigns rests on widespread uptake. However, although vaccinations provide good protection, they do not offer full immunity and while they likely reduce transmission of the virus to others, the extent of this remains uncertain. This produces a dilemma for communicators who wish to be transparent about benefits and harms and encourage continued caution in vaccinated individuals but not undermine confidence in an important public health measure. In two large pre-registered experimental studies on quota-sampled UK public participants we investigate the effects of providing transparent communication—including uncertainty—about vaccination effectiveness on decision-making. In Study 1 (n = 2097) we report that detailed information about COVID-19 vaccines, including results of clinical trials, does not have a significant impact on beliefs about the efficacy of such vaccines, concerns over side effects, or intentions to receive a vaccine. Study 2 (n = 2217) addressed concerns that highlighting the need to maintain protective behaviours (e.g., social distancing) post-vaccination may lower perceptions of vaccine efficacy and willingness to receive a vaccine. We do not find evidence of this: transparent messages did not significantly reduce perceptions of vaccine efficacy, and in some cases increased perceptions of efficacy. We again report no main effect of messages on intentions to receive a vaccine. The results of both studies suggest that transparently informing people of the limitations of vaccinations does not reduce intentions to be vaccinated but neither does it increase intentions to engage in protective behaviours post-vaccination.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Information about COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness and Side Effects on Behavioural Intentions: Two Online Experiments

et al. 2021

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“…The clear and transparent communication of COVID-19 vaccines’ risks and benefits has been suggested as an approach to increasing vaccine uptake among the general public (Cohen et al, 2020; Rzymski et al, 2021), a means of maintaining public trust in science (e.g., Nature, 2020; Parmet, 2005), and also as an ethical imperative. We investigated how communications about the efficacy and side effects of COVID-19 vaccines affect individuals’ vaccination intentions and related beliefs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many public health commentators and researchers have called for transparent communication of COVID-19 vaccine information, including the efficacy and side effects reported from clinical trials, to improve vaccine uptake (Cohen et al, 2020; Nature, 2020; Quinn et al, 2021). Some, for example, Rzymski et al (2021), think that such information may change individuals’ vaccine beliefs: “The general public must be given access to the pivotal information on the authorized vaccines, and that their approval is based on the evidenced benefits that outweigh the potential risks of vaccine administration” (p. 3).…”

Section: Transparent Communication Of Vaccine Risks and Benefitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of information about COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness and side effects on behavioural intentions: two online experiments

Kerr

Freeman

Marteau

et al. 2021

Preprint

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The success of mass COVID-19 vaccination campaigns rests on widespread uptake. However, although vaccinations provide good protection, they do not offer full immunity and while they likely reduce transmission of the virus to others, the extent of this remains uncertain. This produces a dilemma for communicators who wish to be transparent about benefits and harms and encourage continued caution in vaccinated individuals but not undermine confidence in an important public health measure. In two large pre-registered experimental studies on quota-sampled UK public participants we investigate the effects of providing transparent communication—including uncertainty—about vaccination effectiveness on decision-making. In Study 1 (n = 2,097) we report that detailed information about COVID-19 vaccines, including results of clinical trials, does not have a significant impact on beliefs about the efficacy of such vaccines, concerns over side effects, or intentions to receive a vaccine. Study 2 (n = 2,217) addressed concerns that highlighting the need to maintain protective behaviours (e.g. social distancing) post-vaccination may lower perceptions of vaccine efficacy and willingness to receive a vaccine. We do not find evidence of this: transparent messages did not significantly reduce perceptions of vaccine efficacy, and in some cases increased perceptions of efficacy. We again report no main effect of messages on intentions to receive a vaccine. The results of both studies suggest that transparently informing people of the limitations of vaccinations does not reduce intentions to be vaccinated but neither does it increase intentions to engage in protective behaviours post-vaccination.

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“…Against such developments, research communities have called for the transparent disclosing of information about the development, approval processes and features of COVID-19 vaccines. The Royal Society DVELE Initiative (2020) calls for "clear, transparent communication", Nature for (2020) "radical transparency" and Mahase (2020) for "real transparency" (see also Cohen et al, 2020). As discussed by The Royal Society DVELE Initiative (2020) this entails a commitment to "not hide the potential limitations of vaccines including possible limited availability, incomplete protection requiring boosting and reactogenicity", even if "such negative or complicating factors might lower uptake" as "their discovery post-rollout is likely to have a far greater negative impact on uptake."…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Transparent Communication About Negative Features of COVID-19 Vaccines Decreases Acceptance But Increases Trust

Mb¹,

A²,

Jørgensen³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Health authorities emphasize the importance of "radical transparency" in communicating about future COVID-19 vaccines to counter conspiracy-based skepticism. While this resonates with research that highlights uncertainty as a major psychological predictor of conspiracy-related beliefs, no systematic evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of transparency as communication strategy. This study tests the effects of transparent communication about a COVID-19 vaccine using a pre-registered experiment fielded to large, representative samples of Americans and Danes (N > 6,800). The evidence confirms that positive but vague vaccine communication does not increase vaccine support but rather infuses attitudes with conspiracy-related beliefs. Against the hopes of authorities, however, there is little evidence that transparency alone can reduce vaccine skepticism, unless this transparency discloses a highly safe and effective vaccine. Additional analyses suggest that this reflects that vaccine skepticism is not grounded in psychological uncertainty but in deep distrust of authorities, which impedes the effectiveness of their communication.

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COVID‐19 vaccines: the importance of transparency and fact‐based education

Cited by 19 publications

References 10 publications

Effect of Information about COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness and Side Effects on Behavioural Intentions: Two Online Experiments

Effect of Information about COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness and Side Effects on Behavioural Intentions: Two Online Experiments

Effect of information about COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness and side effects on behavioural intentions: two online experiments

Transparent Communication About Negative Features of COVID-19 Vaccines Decreases Acceptance But Increases Trust

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