We are a group of about two dozen experts working in different areas of health related to vaccination and pain. Our team includes health care providers (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and psychologists), scientists, policy makers, educators and patient advocates. We work in different universities, hospitals, government and non-government organizations across Canada.

Getting vaccinated is important. Vaccines protect people of all ages against serious and life threatening diseases. Most of the time, however, vaccines are given with an injection. This can be stressful for individuals getting vaccinated as well as onlookers. About 10% of individuals are not vaccinated because of concerns about injection pain. This can lead to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. Numerous safe, effective, and feasible ways of reducing pain exist, yet individuals have not benefitted from this knowledge.

HELPinKids&Adults creates scientific evidence and tools to improve pain care during vaccine injections, making vaccinations a more positive experience for everyone. You can find information on this website that you can use to make vaccinations more comfortable for yourself, your family members, or your patients. Please share this information with others to improve their vaccination experience.Since we started in 2008, HELPinKids&Adults has received recognition for its work nationally and internationally, including awards for scientific achievement and advocacy efforts in pain relief from the American Pain Society, the Canadian Paediatric Society, Canadian Pain Society, and the Canadian Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Our work has been supported primarily from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Mayday Fund, and The Public Health Agency of Canada.

Endorsing organizations: Canadian Association of Paediatric Health Centres, Canadian Child & Youth Health Coalition, Canadian Family Advisory Network, Canadian Institute of Child Health, Canadian Nursing Coalition for Immunization, Canadian Paediatric Society, Canadian Pharmacists Association, Canadian Psychological Association, Canadian Public Health Association, The College of Family Physicians of Canada, Immunize Canada, AnxietyBC, Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario.Supporting organizations: Canadian Center for Vaccinology, BC Centre for Disease Control.