A New Jersey initiative that awards public school students gift cards and cash prizes for creating posters and videos promoting vaccines has come under fire by health critics, who claim the program to be a thinly veiled attempt to solicit young people into creating promotional material on behalf of pharmaceutical interests.
The campaign, “Protect Me With 3+,” sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDH), stipulates that “New Jersey students in grades 5–12 can enter to win great prizes while promoting vaccination.” Contest participants can win a $50–$175 gift card, while teachers whose classes submit the most entries will be awarded $75 gift card awards, according to the website.
