The future of vaccines
Importantly, vaccination is a global public health success as millions of lives are saved each year from a number of devastating diseases ranging from coronavirus-19 (COVID-19), polio, pneumococcal disease, influenza, and HPV, which can cause life-threatening cancers.
Vaccines, and their rollouts across the globe, have contributed to people living longer and healthier lives, which contribute toward country-specific economic and developmental progress. From a global public health perspective, vaccination remains a critical cornerstone of primary healthcare and a fundamental human right. As one of the most cost-effective measures, their global utility cannot be understated.
The future landscape of vaccine development looks very exciting. As stated, mRNA vaccines have the potential to generate protection against multiple strains of influenza simultaneously, the Zika virus, and rabies to name a few. To date, these new vaccines have generated potent immunity against the aforementioned diseases in animal models, and as more research is conducted in the years ahead, it is possible that novel therapies will be developed to improve human health across the world. However, we must note that vaccines, and their efficacy, remain subject to misinformation and fake news. Thus, we must do our part as expert science communicators to demonstrate their utility to as many people as possible.