Leadership Message: The crucial role of vaccines today

Dear Colleagues,

Vaccinations have been a significant topic of discussion in the medical community. They are widely recognized for their role in preventing various infectious diseases. Health organizations, including the World Health Organization, advocate for their use, citing numerous studies that support their effectiveness. However, it is important to acknowledge that some individuals have concerns about vaccine safety and efficacy.

Universally recommended vaccines

The World Health Organization recommends 13 vaccines (antigens) for the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), which has achieved many key milestones since established in 1974—including the eradication of smallpox in 1980. These 13 universally recommended vaccines include:

• Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)
• Diphtheria
• Pertussis
• Tetanus
• Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib)
• Hepatitis B (HepB)
• Polio
• Measles
• Rubella
• Pneumococcal disease (PNC)
• Rotavirus (Rota)
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• COVID-19 (for adults)

Vaccine hesitancy impacts

While these vaccines are viewed as one of the safest, most cost-effective, and successful public health interventions to prevent deaths, vaccine hesitancy can have significant public health impacts.

For example, the current measles outbreak in the United States has resulted in over 1,300 cases this year – the highest number in more than 30 years – and three reported deaths. The measles vaccine has proven to be highly effective in preventing the disease. Data from the outbreak indicate that only 4 percent of those infected had been fully vaccinated, which aligns with the expected protection rate of about 97 percent for the vaccine.

Vaccines can save lives

In the United States, routine childhood immunizations have prevented over 1 million deaths and hundreds of millions of illnesses since the mid-1990s. Worldwide, approximately 4 million deaths are prevented by childhood vaccination every year.

I deeply care about vaccine education and awareness because I’ve seen firsthand children and adults hospitalized for vaccine-preventable diseases, that sometimes result in long-term sequelae or death.

If you are interested to learn more about the safety and well-being of yourself or loved ones as it relates to vaccines, please consult your primary care physician.

Yours in health,

Dean Blumberg, M.D.
Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Professor