Vaccines have played a critical role in reducing the spread of, and in some cases, eliminating the threat of many devastating infectious diseases. They are often cited as second only to clean drinking water in leading to some of the most impactful public health advances in history, including the eradication of smallpox globally and measles, rubella and polio in the U.S. Vaccine development has further advanced the study of human health including our understanding of human beings’ own immune system.
