Are vaccines an effective tool to prevent disease?
Vaccines are a proven way to prevent disease — I'll gather the latest evidence on their effectiveness for you.
Yes, vaccines are one of the most effective tools to prevent disease. This is supported by extensive scientific evidence and global public health data:
1. Highly Effective at Preventing Disease
Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent diseases.Vaccines reduce risks of getting a disease by working with your body’s natural defenses to build protection. When you get a vaccine, your immune system responds.because vaccines contain only killed or weakened forms of germs like viruses or bacteria, they do not cause the disease or put you at risk of its complications.> Vaccines are among the most cost-effective ways to protect against infectious diseases.
2. Prevent Millions of Deaths and Severe Illness
Immunization currently prevents 3.5 million to 5 million deaths every year from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), influenza and measles.Over the past 50 years, essential vaccines against just 14 diseases have saved at least 154 million lives (1). During the same period, vaccination has contributed to 40% of the drop in infant deaths.We now have vaccines to prevent more than 30 life-threatening diseases and infections, helping people of all ages live longer, healthier lives.3. Dramatic Reduction and Eradication of Diseases
Historical data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows dramatic declines when comparing pre-vaccine era to vaccine era:
Smallpox 29,005 0 100% ... Measles 530,217 47 > 99% ... Polio (paralytic) 16,316 0 100%Other evidence:
The introduction of a vaccine has, in many cases, led to a very large decrease in the incidence of the targeted disease — such as the 96% decrease in the incidence of polio that occurred within 7 years of the introduction of the Salk and Sabin polio vaccinesAchieving smallpox eradication and smallpox has been eradicated, poliomyelitis caused by wildtype viruses has been eliminated provide compelling demonstrations of success.4. Critical for Public Health Security
Vaccines are also critical to the prevention and control of infectious disease outbreaks.global health security and are a vital tool in the battle against antimicrobial resistance.5. Safety and Effectiveness Monitoring
No vaccine is 100% effective for every person, and effectiveness can vary by disease, vaccine, and individual, but effectiveness against severe disease, hospitalization and death remains high. Vaccines undergo rigorous testing in three phases of clinical trials and continuous safety monitoring after introduction.
Side effects are usually minor and short duration, while serious side effects are extremely rare:
A person is far more likely to be seriously harmed by a disease than by a vaccine.Vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, meningitis, hepatitis B or polio can be deadly or cause severe illness and disability.
Conclusion: The scientific consensus from the World Health Organization (WHO), CDC and other health authorities is that vaccines are a safe, cost-effective, and highly effective tool to prevent infectious diseases, reduce mortality, prevent complications like blindness, deafness, paralysis and cancer, and control outbreaks. Talk to your healthcare provider to find out what vaccinations are needed for you and your family.
Citations (2)
- Vaccines and immunization: Vaccine safety
Backs: “This is supported by extensive scientific evidence and global public health data: 1. Highly Effective at Preventing Disease”
- Vaccines and immunization
Backs: “Vaccines reduce risks of getting a disease by working with your body’s natural defenses to build protection.”