Vaccine communication: a critical review of foundations, challenges, and future directions

Vaccination remains one of the most effective public health interventions, yet sustaining uptake is increasingly challenged by complex informational and political environments. This review provides a targeted synthesis of existing evidence on vaccine communication, examining its foundations, emerging challenges, and future directions. It underscores the need for strategies that address misinformation, polarization, evolving policy contexts, and declining trust, while also considering emerging tools that may enhance communication and strengthen the resilience of immunization systems.