The rise in anti-vaccination sentiment across the world during the past 10 years is a worrying trend for healthcare professionals, health systems and governments.

The largely held belief is that this is the result of ‘fake news’ and its viral spread on social media, alongside a move in many parts of the world towards populist politics.   

However, these are the symptoms – not the cause – says Heidi Larson, founding director of the Vaccine Confidence Project at the WHO Centre of Excellence.

The cause, she says, is the loss of productive, trusting relationships between immunisation providers and the patients.