Vaccine safety: looking forward and back

• Authors: Alexander M Walker, World Health Information Science Consultants; Walter Orenstein, Emory University
• Journal Title: BMJ GLOBAL HEALTH
• Volume: Volume 6, Number SUPPL_2
• Publisher: BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP | 2021-01-01
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2021-005743
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Public Health
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; vaccines; control strategies; immunisation; public health

Abstract

Vaccines are among the most cost-effective health interventions. Scientifically rigorous monitoring and evaluation of vaccine safety is critical in order to develop and modify recommendations for vaccine use and in maintaining public trust necessary for the use of vaccines. Even when governments and public health advocates are appropriate in their enthusiasm, vaccines sometimes lack advocates among caregivers or citizens. Outside of pandemics, vaccines do not engender a sense of urgency nor do they offer the satisfaction of seeing a cure. To many patients, the vaccine supporter’s focus on diminished future disease probabilities may seem overly abstract.