Editorial

The Importance of Immunizations

Stanford T. Shulman, MD

  • Pediatric Annals
  • August 2010 - Volume 39 · Issue 8: 460-463
  • DOI: 10.3928/00904481-20100726-01
Rights and Permissions

Abstract

It is virtually impossible to overstate the effect of vaccination upon human health, and especially upon child health. And yet controversy seems to swirl around this topic and has since Edward Jenner first inoculated young James Phipps on May 14, 1796, with material from Sarah Nelmes, the milkmaid who had cowpox. Most of the controversies are because, when vaccination is successful, nothing happens. When we prevent a serious illness, nothing happens (ie, no one gets ill). As this occurs more and more, the public eventually has little or no memory of the morbidity and mortality that was caused by serious diseases like smallpox, measles, varicella, and the other vaccine-preventable infections.

doi: 10.3928/00904481-20100726-01

Healio is intended for health care provider use and all comments will be posted at the discretion of the editors. We reserve the right not to post any comments with unsolicited information about medical devices or other products. At no time will Healio be used for medical advice to patients.