Informed consent to immunization: the risks and benefits of individual autonomy.

In the last two years there has been a dramatic movement toward disclosing the risks as well as the benefits of immunization to those vaccinated in mass immunization programs. The federal legislation establishing the 1976 swine flu immunization program included requirements that recipients of the swine flu vaccine be fully informed of the risks and benefits of immunization and that written consent forms be used.' Informed consent procedures have also been introduced in polio immunization programs administering vaccine purchased by the federal government, in order to comply with the contract with the vaccine manufacturer.2 The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has