Vaccines are considered a public health success story, saving millions of lives worldwide each year. Unfortunately, the pandemic offered a vehicle to perpetuate misinformation and fears about the vaccines. The goal of this project is to promote bioethics research on vaccine access and equity through the development of a series of educational dissemination materials to share, post and hand out to Texas state legislators and their staff identifying and describing vaccine-related issues, questions and myths. Through these materials, Dr. Matthews and her team hope to address legislators’ questions, dispel existing myths and promote legislators to enact legislation to increase vaccine access and equity.
Our Grants
Disseminating vaccine information and increasing equity during the 2023 Texas state legislative session
Kirstin Matthews, PhD
William Marsh Rice University
William Marsh Rice University
Grant Type
Bridging Bioethics Research & Policymaking
Grant Cycle
2022
Duration
12 months
Amount
$49,974
Grantee Q&A
We ask Bridging Bioethics Research & Policymaking grantees about lessons learned for increasing bioethics’ impact on policymaking.
Who was the intended audience for your project?
We sought to engage with Texas State legislators during the 2023 session and provide materials that addressed major concerns with vaccines and promoted equitable vaccine access.
What message did you seek to deliver and how?
We sought to provide accurate information to legislators about why vaccines are important for public health and safety and to promote vaccine equity. For example, we met with legislators and staff to discuss what vaccines are and how they work, which was necessary to counteract prevalent misinformation. Students visited the legislature with us and created infographics about vaccine equity for display as posters in the state capital. We created a website, wrote briefs on major vaccine issues, posted on social media throughout the session, and created a series of FAQ explainers.
How did you involve collaborators outside of bioethics research in your project?
The project relied heavily on collaborators with expertise in content and government relations. The Immunization Partnership, a non-profit, helped us target our messaging, identify key issues, and navigate the seed session. In addition, we relied on the enthusiasm and hard work of students, led by Rice students but including students throughout the state. Students helped with all aspects of the project, learned how policy is developed, and why engagement is an important part of the process.
What lessons did you learn about translating bioethics research to policy making?
The main lesson was the importance of developing strategic partnerships. The Immunization Partnership collaboration was vital to ensuring we brought the right message to the right people at the right time. In addition, engaging with student groups provided additional resources and innovative ideas for communicating our message. Those partnerships were also vital for dissemination of information.
Grant Focus Areas
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