The medical community has condemned dangerous comments by a federal senator.

Displaying a misunderstanding of both politics and medicine, Senator Pauline Hanson has described the Government's ‘no jab, no pay’ policy as a “dictatorship”.

Senator Hanson said parents should do their own research into vaccinations.

It is unclear whether she means parents should form their own vaccination labs and conduct their own research, or simply seek to support their fears with furious Googling. Either option is misguided.

Australian Medical Association chief Dr Michael Gannon says Senator Hanson can no longer afford to peddle fringe scientific conspiracy theories, because someone may actually be listening.

“I'm utterly appalled by Senator Hanson's comments. She needs to realise that she's a serious player in Australian politics now,” Dr Gannon told the ABC.

“[With] 10 per cent of Australians indicating an intention to vote for One Nation, she can no longer make fringe statements that are dangerous to the health of the whole community.

“We know in medical science that we're never going to reach that 1 or 2 per cent of rusted on flat-earthers who don't accept the science of vaccination.”

Dr Gannon said less-informed Australian parents needed to hear intelligent views.

“What we worry a lot about is that about 8 per cent of the population are so-called vaccine hesitant, and they're looking for any information that might lead them away from what is ... probably the most important public health measure we've got,” he said.

“This [is a] fatuous idea that parents can spend half an hour on Wikipedia and come to a greater understanding of the issues than their doctor and the accumulated wisdom of all the world's medical scientists is ludicrous.”

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Health Minister Greg Hunt have all rejected Senator Hanson’s comments.

Anyone wishing to do their own research into vaccination in Australia should start here.