GoKawiilUniversity of Minnesota and Unbiased Science launch tool comparing vaccine and disease risks
A free interactive tool called 'What's the Risk?' launched in early August, letting users visually compare the risks of vaccines against the diseases they prevent, as well as everyday hazards like car crashes, drowning and lightning strikes. It was built by the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy alongside Unbiased Science, a public health platform led by scientist Jessica Steier. Currently it covers measles, MMR vaccine and RSV-related products, with plans to expand comparisons over time.
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With conflicting messages from government officials and health experts leaving many Americans uncertain about vaccine safety, tools that visualize relative risk in plain terms could help people make better-informed decisions. By anchoring rare vaccine side effects against familiar risks like drowning or bee stings, the tool aims to cut through misinformation without dictating conclusions, though its usefulness depends on users understanding the caveats behind each comparison.
- The 'What's the Risk?' tool launched free in early August 2024 to compare vaccine and disease risks visually.
- It was created by the University of Minnesota's CIDRAP and the Unbiased Science platform founded by Jessica Steier.
- Users can compare vaccine-preventable disease risks to everyday events like car crashes and lightning strikes, with more topics planned.
Source: cnet.com — Anna Gragert, 2026-08-24
Published there as: “A New Interactive Tool Weighs Vaccine Risks for You”
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