HRM signed a contract without knowing the full details of what the Lebrun Recreation Centre would be used for, and the Legal Department's opinion was that the contract could not be broken after the fact, according to Bedford Councillor Tim Outhit

The Nova Scotia Health Authority is slamming an anti vaccine film being screened tonight in HRM as a "marketing tool for vaccine misinformation" - with the NSHA saying the science is clear, vaccines are safe and effective.

The anti vaccine film - including a debunked theory linking vaccines to autism put forth originally by now disgraced former doctor Andrew Wakefield - is being screened at the Lebrun Recreation Centre in Bedford.

Regional Medical Officer of Health Doctor Jessica Jackman telling NEWS 95.7 the evidence is crystal clear that vaccines are safe and effective, and they know this because of years of medical studies, and research and testing done before vaccines are made public.

She explains their approach to vaccine doubters.

"We have to listen to people's concerns and understand where they are coming from and then present them with the information that's correct," says Jackman. "Because if there's no willingness to listen to people who have questions about their health, then we might run the risk of them not listening to us, who are sources of credible information."

She says vaccines are heavily tested, and monitored before being made public, and they follow very closely any reactions after someone gets a vaccine.

"So if someone develops you know, a sore arm, or some swelling around the injection site, all those types of reactions are reported to public health," says Jackman. "We document them, and we follow them up very carefully to determine whether any of these side effects are linked to a vaccine."

She goes on to say the process is very, very rigorous.

"From initial studies that are done over a number of years, to then when vaccines are being used following up even further, so vaccines are very heavily studied, and we know from that research and from the literature that vaccines are safe and effective," says Jackman.

Meanwhile, Alex Kronstein of Autistics United Nova Scotia says they will be protesting - politely - outside the Lebrun Recreation Centre from four until ten tonight to cover both screenings of the film.